The Extra Weasley
by Triscribe
Summary: "Good evening, Arthur." The patronus said, in Professor Dumbledore's voice. "I would greatly appreciate it if you and Molly were to meet me downstairs - I will be arriving shortly with someone I'd like you both meet." It was a little over twenty minutes later that the Weasley parents were introduced to a tiny five year old named Harry Potter.
1. Chapter 1

When Arthur Weasley awoke in the middle of the night, it usually was due to a small hand tapping him, or a young voice demanding he wake up and help them with something. This, however, was the first occasion he could recall opening his eyes to a softly glowing, silvery phoenix hovering beside his bed.

"Good evening, Arthur." The patronus said, in Professor Dumbledore's voice. "I would greatly appreciate it if you and Molly were to meet me downstairs - I will be arriving shortly with someone I'd like you both meet." With that, the phoenix faded into mist and vanished. Blinking, Arthur wondered just what was so important that the Headmaster of Hogwarts needed him and his wife at this ungodly hour.

It was a little over twenty minutes later that the Weasley parents were introduced to a tiny five year old named Harry Potter.

-TEW-

"Are you sure you don't need anything else, love?" Molly asked anxiously, as she tucked another blanket around Harry's narrow shoulders. A pair of drowsy green eyes peeked up at her through the mop of messy black hair, the whole mass of which moved as the lad shook his head. Tutting, Molly reached down a hand to lovingly stroke his cheek - the one not marred by a developing bruise, already a splotchy green and yellow color.

At first, the Headmaster was only asking them to put young Harry up for a few days while he searched for any extended relations who might be in a secure enough position to take him. It was only once the child was prised away from Dumbledore's side, allowing the Weasleys their first good look at him, that Molly saw the injury and insisted that Harry could stay as long as needed. Immediately, she'd taken him into the kitchen for a warm drink, then fetched down a set of spare pajamas that she re-sized with a quick charm.

Now, with Arthur and Dumbledore exchanging a few final words before the elder man left through the Floo, Molly was settling Harry down for sleep upon the sofa. "Well, if you wake up again and decide you need anything, anything at all, I'll be in the first room up the staircase."

The mop of hair moved again as he nodded.

"Alrighty then, sleep well love. We'll be down in the morning, and then you can meet my children." Another nod, and then the green eyes closed with a small sigh. It wasn't long before the breathing slowed, and Harry's facial features finally relaxed. Molly stayed beside him for a while longer, ignoring the _whoosh_ of the Floo as Dumbledore left, and the quiet tread of her husband's footsteps as he approached.

"It was his uncle," murmured Arthur, his voice strained. "His own uncle, who did this. The professor said it was the- the last straw. Molly... I'm not sure I want to know what else happened to him with those Muggles."

"It doesn't matter." She said firmly. "He's here now, and we're going to make sure he's cared for properly."

"...You're absolutely right."

-TEW-

Bill yawned as he stumbled down the stairs, rubbing at his eyes blearily. The fifteen year old entered the sitting room, fully prepared to walk straight through on his way to the kitchen, when his sleep-addled mind registered that something was different.

He nearly jumped out of his skin upon realizing a small, dark haired child was watching him from the sofa. "Who in Merlin's name are you?" Bill yelped, automatically grabbing for his wand only to remember that it was upstairs. The boy blinked at him, shrinking down into a tight ball curled within a nest of blankets. Just as Bill was about to let loose some more questions, his mother appeared in the kitchen's doorway.

"Oh, for goodness' sakes! William Arthur Weasley, you calm down right this instant and leave poor Harry alone."

"Huh?" Rolling her eyes in exasperation, his mum marched over and grabbed Bill by the ear, hauling him bodily into the kitchen. "Ow! Blimey, Mum! What's going on? Who is that?"

"Harry Potter."

Bill gaped, not believing her at first. He tried to crane his head around to look back at the kid, only for his mother to firmly force him to face her again. "Bill. He was brought here in the middle of the night by Headmaster Dumbledore, because the Muggle relatives he formerly was living with were- were- oh, I can't even bloody say it." Sighing angrily, she returned to the breakfast dishes that were cooking. "He'll be staying with us for a least a few days - longer if I can manage it."

"Uh... Alright. I think."

"Now, I expect you to march right back up those stairs, and inform your siblings of this as they start to come down. Go ahead and get everyone to wash up, I'll call you all when the food's ready, and then you can meet Harry properly. Got it?"

"Got it, Mum."

-TEW-

Getting stopped on the staircase by his older brother was irritating on any day. Getting held up on said stairs with _Harry_ bloody _Potter_ sitting in their living room was torture for Charlie. By the time their mum called for everyone to come down, the second eldest Weasley brother had been hopping from one foot to the other in his impatience. The others weren't much better: the twins kept trying to slip past an already annoyed Bill, while Percy was barely managing to restrain both himself and Ginny, who wanted very badly to meet the hero who starred in a great many of their dad's bedtime stories.

The only one who didn't seem eager to run downstairs to see the Boy Who Lived was Ron, and that was only because the six year old was more eager to go get breakfast. (Charlie could tell already that that boy was going to be a glutton when he got older, just like him and Bill.)

When the bellowed call did come, it was an avalanche of red hair that practically flew down the last flight of stairs, spilling out into the sitting room before coming to a halt before the Weasley matron. Their mum raised an eyebrow at the lot of them, a look that said she disapproved but wouldn't be commenting on it just yet.

"Bill's told you all, then?" Seven freckled faces nodded anxiously. "Good. Now, I've gotten young Harry to start eating a bit, poor lad's still a bit overwhelmed by all this, and I want you all to come in _one at a time,_ to introduce yourselves."

"Yes, Mum!" Seven voices chorused as she left the room, before Ron, the sneaky little git, ducked around Bill and through the kitchen doors. Annoyed insults were hurled after him, but true to their mum's word, none of the others were allowed in for another few minutes.

Bill was told to wait until last, so that he could keep the younger Weasleys back, which meant Charlie got to go in next. He walked into the kitchen towards his usual seat at the massive table, taking note that Ron had switched chairs to sit next to the dark haired boy wearing wire-rimmed glasses.

"Mornin'!" Charlie said cheerfully, noting the apprehensive way the kid watched him as the thirteen year old started assembling his breakfast.

"Tha's Chawlie." Ron supplied, talking through the food in his mouth. "He'sh tha nesht oldesht t' Bill." Harry nodded carefully, poking a bit more at the eggs and toast on the plate before him. In typical fashion, their mum had piled on a serving size fit for any Weasley, but as he took in the bony arms and fingers emerging from one of their shrunken sets of pajamas, Charlie honestly wondered how the boy was supposed to finish it all.

Well, if nothing else, he supposed Harry could hand the leftovers to Ron, and they'd be gone in moment.

-TEW-

All through breakfast, Percy never took his eyes off of Potter. The ten year old noticed several things that he thought were cause for concern right off the bat - for starters, the hero of the wizarding world was much too small. Now, Percy was perfectly aware that Harry Potter was of an age with his youngest brother Ron, but the boy was as small as Ginny! It was unacceptable!

"Would you like any more to eat?" He offered at one point, but Potter just shook his head, allowing Ron to reach around from his other side and snag the last few pieces of toast. Frowning, Percy allowed it, but he could see his same concern reflected in his mother's eyes. The responsible boy came to the conclusion that for as long as Potter stayed in their home, he'd do everything he could to make sure the lad got all the food he could stand.

Eventually, Percy's dad bustled down into the kitchen, hastily pulling on his robes for work as he snagged a bit of food. Kissing his wife atop the head, the man swiftly made his way around the crowded table, ruffling hair or squeezing a shoulder with each of his offspring. He hesitated briefly with Harry, before giving the startled boy a gentle pat on the shoulder. (Percy could tell that the dark haired lad was surprised from his nervous jump at the contact.) Then Mr. Weasley was hurrying back out of the room, calling back his goodbyes as he headed for the Floo.

"Well!" Their mum clapped her hands together, getting everyone's attention. "Now that we've all had our fill, I expect to see you all hop to the chores that need doing today!" Several of the Weasleys groaned, excepting Bill and Percy, who merely started to stand with their dirtied plates in hand.

Harry Potter surprised them, though, as he immediately hopped up and started to stack every dish he could reach. Then the tiny lad carried them over to the sink, set the pile down, and started to come back for more, a look of determination on his face.

"Harry, love," Molly took careful hold of the boy's shoulders, causing him to hunch over slightly as he looked warily up at her. "You don't need to do that. _I_ do the dishes around here - why don't you go wait out in the living room for a moment while I get you some proper clothes to wear, and later you can help the others, alright?" Cautiously, almost as if he was afraid of speaking, Potter nodded and retreated from the room.

"Doesn't he have his own clothes, Mum?" Ron piped up, having watched the scene with confusion.

Their mother sighed. "Not ones fit for wearing, at any rate."

"But he's Harry Potter!" Ginny protested. "Dad said he lives in a castle like Hogwarts, with real live house elves and hippogriffs and a dragon!"

"That was just a bedtime story, Gin." Percy informed her.

"Your brother's right, Ginerva. In point of fact, young Harry lived with some muggle relatives of his, and I highly suspect he was treated more like a house elf than a hero." Their mum sniffed with disdain. "Now, Ron, I want you to fetch down a pair of clothes you don't mind giving up - yours ought to be the easiest to resize for Harry. After that, I want you and Ginny to take him outside, let him help you if he wants, but just try to get him to open up a little. And for _goodness' sake_ DON'T try to question him about what all he did at his old home, understand?"

"Yes Mum!" Instantly, the youngest and oldest Weasleys hurried from the room, though Percy hung back.

"What's wrong, Percival?"

"Did you mean that? About P- about Harry's relatives treating him like a house elf?" Her pained look was all the answer he needed. "He's not going to go back there, is he?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it." His mum growled, using her wand to start gathering up the dishes and get some soapy water into the sink.

Percy was quiet for a minute as he contemplated the situation. "Well, we'll just have to make him one of our brothers, then." _That_ certainly got his mother's attention, as the woman twirled around to stare at him. "All of us boys can give him a set of clothes or two, and I'll start looking after him like the other kids, and with another pair of hands that isn't set on causing trouble we could probably get the orchard into a bit more order, maybe even have enough extra fruit to sell and that would help with having another mouth to feed-"

"Oh, Percy." His mum's arms wrapped around him, cutting off the ten year old's chatter while giving him a warm feeling. He _knew_ that they were perfectly capable of taking in another child. Even if the other's didn't think so, Percy would make sure Harry became one of their family just fine.

-TEW-

Laughing as he punted another gnome out of the garden, Fred didn't notice the trio coming around from the other side of the house. George did, though, and nudged his twin to direct his attention towards the adorable scene.

Ron and Ginny were walking on either side of little Harry, talking turns nattering on about different things they liked to do on sunny days. Their guest wasn't paying the pair much attention, however - his focus was firmly on the small white eggs nestled in the basket he was carefully carrying.

"Think we might be just rotten enough to trip up the savior of the Wizarding World, Forge?"

"I think we might just be, Gred. How shall we go about such an act of despicable treachery?" The other eight year old was just about to respond when their keen eyes noticed something odd.

Ron and Ginny were outright arguing now, leaning around Harry to glare and fuss at each other. The dark haired boy's head snapped up as he noted the growing volume, and nervousness took over his expression. In fact, Harry slowed his steps to try and allow the other children to move ahead of them, but the pair either didn't notice or deliberately matched their pace with his. Growing more fearful, the small boy ended up stopping completely, thin arms tightening their grip on the basket of eggs.

Fred and George exchanged another look, more concerned than interested in mischief making at this point.

As the youngest pair of Weasleys continued their fight, the next oldest swooped in to get Harry's attention and continue leading him to the Burrow's back door. When they slipped inside, their mum looked curiously at the trio.

"I thought Ginny and Ron-"

"They had a wee bit of a squabble." Fred informed her as George brought Harry and the eggs over to the kitchen. "Still might be, in fact. Figured we might as well step in before ickle Harrikins got dragged into it as well."

Their mum squared her shoulders, nodded, and promptly marched outside to go fuss at her youngest offspring.

"Now, Harry," George gently nudged the smaller boy with a grin. "If any of that lot every starts giving you trouble, just come to us, alright?" Hesitantly, the lad nodded, getting both of the twins to beam at him.

They just grinned even wider when he gave them a small smile in return.

-TEW-

"Why'd you go off with the twins earlier?" Ron asked as he sat down next to Harry at lunch. The dark haired boy shrugged lightly, waiting until everyone was seated and digging into the sandwiches before he tentatively took one for himself.

"Well, just be careful around those two." Ron continued on. "Pranksters, the both of 'em. Turned my hair green one time, they did." He nodded in response to Harry's wide-eyed stare. "Took me a week to wash it all out."

"Any more to drink, boys?" Ron's mum asked at one point as she bustled around the table and chairs. "Harry? Need anything, love?" The lad quickly shook his head, causing to woman to frown but move on nonetheless. Ron stared at him.

"Why don't ask anybody for anything?" He asked after a minute. "Come a that, you haven't said much at all today."

Harry only shrugged, continuing to nibble at his sandwich. Ron glanced at the younger boy's empty plate, then at his own, which was covered in the wonderful foodstuffs his mum had made for the mid-day meal. Then, nodding decisively to himself, Ron switched plates.

Blinking, Harry looked a question at him, to which Ron smiled. "When you can't eat anymore, and I mean _really_ can't, I'll have the leftovers. But this way, you get enough, and I don't get any pudgier." When the dark-haired boy gave him a tentative smile, Ron felt like was finally getting why his big brothers always insisted on looking out for him.

It was nice, to no longer be the youngest. Besides Ginny, of course, but she didn't count because she was a girl.

That afternoon, the last of the chores were finished up, so Ron took Harry on a tour of the entire Burrow. He showed him all of rooms in the house itself, including the attic with a ghoul in it, then all the neat features of the yard, and the orchards and pond further back on the little patch of farmland. When Bill came out and joined them, the two Weasley brothers also started giving their guest a run-down of everything in the Wizarding World. Ron had been shocked to learn how little Harry knew, but then he supposed that living with muggles who were afraid of magic was a reasonable excuse.

Their explanations came to an end when their mum called Harry in so that she could refit more clothes for him and then help the boy figure out how the bath worked. Ron and Bill stayed outside for a little while longer, enjoying the quiet until a question was asked.

"Can Harry stay with us forever?" Startled, Bill glanced down at his youngest brother.

"Why would ask that, Ron?"

"'Cause, I don't think he really knows what having a family means, and we'd be the best ones to show him. And, if he stays, then I won't be the littlest boy anymore, so that's good." Snorting in amusement, Bill ruffled the six year old's fluffy hair.

"I don't think he was supposed to stay here more than a few days, but Mum and Dad are gonna do what they can to have him on permanently." Seeing Ron's eyebrows furrow, Bill used a different word. "That means forever."

"Yes!" Ron hopped to his feet with a whoop, and ran back to the Burrow so that he could make sure everyone knew Harry was going to stay and be the baby brother from then on.

-TEW-

Ginny had to wait until all the lights were off and she heard her parents go into their bedroom before sneaking back down the stairs that night. All day, she'd been told to go easy on Harry, but now she just _had_ to have him answer one of her questions, the one that had been bugging her all through dinner and getting ready for bedtime.

In the living room, the nest of blankets on the sofa had been restored, with a shaggy mop of black hair peeking out from the end of it. Tip-toeing across the room, Ginny made it to her destination without any unnecessary noises. Carefully, she reached up and poked at the face half-hidden by the hair.

Instantly, those bright green eyes snapped open and latched onto her. Giggling at how wide they were, Ginny clambered up onto the sofa beside the startled boy.

"You know, if you live here with us you're gonna need your own bed." The almost-five year old informed him. "We can put it in Ron's room, 'cause he really wants you to be our new brother, and says he wouldn't mind sharing."

Harry blinked at her, getting Ginny to frown at the lack of a greater response. "You _do_ want to stay with us, don't you?"

"...Yes." His voice was so quiet, she almost missed the whispered word.

"Good! Because we want you to stay, too! Even Percy, and it takes a lot for him to like someone." She added this last part conspiratorially, getting Harry to grin a little bit. "And the twins didn't even prank you! They do that to _everybody,_ so it'll probably happen sooner or later, but they must really, _really_ like you since they haven't done one already. Bill and Charlie like everyone easy, and we both know Ron's really excited to have you stay, and I heard  
Mum and Dad say earlier that they'd do whatever they could to make sure you have a home here." Ginny stopped chattering as she finally noticed the tears on Harry's face. "What's wrong?"

"I... I've never had so many people like me before." He confessed, not bothering to try and conceal his crying.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm here now, so... It's fine. Better than fine, actually." Harry was smiling now, even as more tears slipped from his eyes. Ginny scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around the boy in a tight hug, which he happily returned.

When Molly made her late-night rounds a little while later, always done to make sure everyone was safely abed, she was rather startled to find her daughter curled up with Harry on the sofa, both sound asleep. Loathe to risk waking them, she went ahead and rearranged the blankets to make the nest more comfortable for the pair, her two youngest children.

 _A/N: And now my very first Harry Potter story is uploaded! You folks will have to let me know if you want to see anymore to this, otherwise I'll likely leave it as a one-shot._

 _-Triscribe_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Daaang, this got way more attention than I was expecting. And just about every review left on chapter 1 was asking for more, so, here we go!_

 _I'm getting some ideas together for taking this story into Harry and Ron's first year, maybe further than that even. We'll just have to see, since I'm also working on a couple other stories and my Nanowrimo novel at the same time, but I promise that if and when I decide to end this, I'll give it a satisfying conclusion._

 _Enjoy, folks!_

 _-Triscribe_

Chapter 2

Dumbledore returned two days after Harry's unorthodox arrival, mentally sighing at his lack of progress. With no other blood relatives of his mother's to send the boy to, it seemed necessary for a secret hideaway to be crafted, possibly on the Dursley property itself for maximum protection...

Apparating to the edge of the Burrow's land, Dumbledore let himself in the front gate and slowly walked towards the front door, still musing over the options. He was startled from his thoughts, though, by a chorus of children's laughter. From the direction of the little orchard came a stream of small redheaded forms, led by a familiar mop of black hair. Young Harry was racing away from the gaggle of Weasleys, clutching a ragged ball to his chest and grinning in delight. Right on his heels came the pair of cackling twins, then young Ronald, followed last of all by the huffing Percival and the little girl, Ginevra, shrieking with joy.

Standing aside to allow the stream of children to bolt past, engaged in some game and not paying him the slightest amount of attention, Dumbledore had to smile. It seemed that his idea of hiding Harry away for a short while with such a loving household had not gone remiss after all. He continued on to the door, knocking and then smiling cordially at Molly when she answered.

A few minutes later, that smile turned into a pronounced frown.

"My dear girl, I'm afraid you simply don't understand-"

"Understand what, Headmaster? That Harry was in danger at his old home and had to be removed? The same home you're debating taking him back to now?!"

"It is for his own protection-"

"From Dark Wizards and the like, I know, but what is supposed to protect him from those muggles?"

"He cannot-"

"Stay here? Of course he bloody well can! Let the Dark Lord himself come strolling up to my gate - _no one_ touches _my_ children." The woman's arms were crossed as she glared at him, and Dumbledore was unhappily reminded that Molly, when still bearing the Prewett name, had been a very fearsome Gryffindor at Hogwarts.

"Perhaps I ought to return later to speak to both you and Arthur-"

"Don't think for one moment that he isn't on the same page with me about this." She warned the old wizard. "You brought Harry to us, and like it or not, he's counted among my own children now. Put up whatever wards and other protections you want around the Burrow, Headmaster, because that boy is _not_ going back to a place where he won't be safe and loved."

By then, Dumbledore was down to one last tactic, an underhanded one he wasn't particularly proud of. "My dear, please think of the risk it will put your own young ones in-"

Molly's eyes widened, and a moment later her wand was being tightly gripped as the furious woman pointed to the door, causing it to slam open. "Out."

"Now just one moment-"

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, _get OUT!"_ He left, and rather quickly at that. Perhaps Minerva wasn't the only lioness willing and able to protect her cubs...

Changes would have to be made.

-TEW-

When Arthur returned home that evening, he was just as displeased as his wife about Dumbledore trying to take Harry away again. It had been an amazing transformation to witness, seeing the lad make so much progress just in a couple of days from worried silence to running and yelling right alongside the rest of the young Weasleys. There was no way in hell that the old Headmaster would be doing anything that could undo that change.

"It's not that I don't respect the issues he has to bear in mind, Arthur," Molly was saying as she cleaned up from dinner. "But there is the issues directly before me, which is the one of that boy needing love as he grows older. It's the least he deserves - what _every_ child deserves."

"I'm not arguing with you on this one, love." Her husband assured her. "But we do have to prepare for what Dumbledore might try next. We don't technically have any legal right to keep Harry-"

Molly harrumphed. "By what legal right was Harry given to those muggles? Albus brought him here because he wanted to hide the lad away while searching for a suitable home, because he didn't think anyone would look for the hero of the Wizarding World with us; a simple hair colour charm and he'd fit right in with the rest of our lot."

"That's... Not a half bad idea. It would only have to be put on when we went out or if company came over, too. We'll probably want to check with Harry himself, though-"

"Yes!" A small voice squeaked, startling them both. Moments later, the three youngest children in the house entered the kitchen, wearing matching grins.

"Were you lot listening to us?" Molly demanded, hands on her hips.

"Fred and George were too, but they've run away now." Ron supplied.

"Twins!" Ignoring the woman's frustrated rantings, Harry slowly walked up to stand alongside Arthur's chair. The man watched bemusedly as the boy tried to put together his words.

"I... I told Ginny before, I want to stay. I want to be one of you." Harry explained, a hand coming up to touch at his coal black hair. "Can, can you make it red, always?"

Arthur found himself lost for words, merely nodding as he slowly reached out to pull the lad into a one-armed hug. "Y'know, your real mum had red hair, too." He was finally able to say. Harry's bright green eyes lit up excitedly.

"Really? You knew her?"

"Not all that well, but a bit, yeah. Your dad, too. He was a bit of a rascal in his youth, quite like the twins actually."

Harry frowned slightly. "Aunt P'tunia and Uncle Vernon always told me they were bad people, that was why they died and left me alone." Normally, Arthur only had admiration for muggles and their numerous wonderful inventions, but at that moment he only felt the desire to go strangle the ones poor Harry had been trapped living with for over four and a half years.

"No, Harry, they were heroes who died protecting you. Very, very good people. Some of the best there were." That night, instead of the fantastical stories about the Boy-Who-Lived that Arthur would usually tell Ginny, he found himself lulling all three of his youngest to sleep with true tales of the Potters and how they protected their baby boy to the very end. By the time the children were asleep, all together in a bunch where they wound up on Ron's bed, Arthur had lost any inclination whatsoever to disagree with his wife on the matter of keeping Harry with them.

That night, as the Weasley parents themselves prepared for bed, they were discussing how much it would cost to buy versus making a potion to permanently alter Harry's hair to a shade of red that would allow him to blend more easily with their own children. Money was always an issue in their household, but they would find a way to make it work.

They always did.

-TEW-

The next morning, money suddenly was much less of an issue than normal.

A delivery owl was waiting by the window when Molly came down to begin preparing breakfast. She was rather startled to find the Gringotts seal on the small package it bore, along with an accompanying letter bearing the Hogwarts crest.

"Arthur! Arthur, get down here!" She sent her words through a patronus, eager to get her husband downstairs without alerting any of the children that something was up.

"What is it, love?" He asked anxiously, stumbling into the kitchen as he struggled to keep from tripping in his haste.

"Look!" Inside the box was small, neatly arranged pile of galleons, gleaming in the soft morning light. Blinking in astonishment, Arthur then had the letter shoved under his nose by an excited Molly. "It's the same amount those muggles were being paid each month out of the money that the Potters set up for Harry, for his care and keeping. This is just the first installment, the rest will be transferred directly from his vault to ours at Gringotts-"

"Meaning that Dumbledore finally decided not to try and take him anywhere else," Arthur stated in relief.

"-I know it's mostly for taking care of Harry himself, but we'll be able to use this for keeping the house and grounds intact, and to go into the emergency fund, while the money that _had_ been going into those we can switch to using for all the other children-"

"Molly, love, slow down." He laughed at her joyous expression. "Yes, we'll be able to do a lot with this - but for today, let's just celebrate, alright? Apparently," the letter from Hogwarts was held up. "Harry turns six years old today."

-TEW-

For as long as he was able to remember, Harry had never had such a good day as this. He'd woken up in Ron's room with the other boy and Ginny, gone downstairs for breakfast, and immediately been swept up into the rest of the Weasley family's excitement as they prepared for a party. The lad was shocked to discover that they were having a party for _him,_ but then Mrs. Weasley had explained that it was his birthday, and that some good news had come that morning putting everyone into a festive mood anyway.

Happily deciding to go along with it all, Harry got to enjoy his first ever piece of birthday cake, and some of the older kids even got together a few things as presents (easily ten times better than anything the Dursleys had ever given him!). By the time evening rolled around, he'd been convinced that not only was this the best day of his life, but that the Weasleys were the greatest family ever.

"And you're one of us now." Ginny said firmly as they got ready for bed, everyone exhausted from the rapid fire events of the day. Harry easily agreed with her, an unfamiliar warm feeling completely filling him up.

He had a family now. And _that_ was the greatest present ever.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As usual, when the day came for the Weasleys to buy school supplies, they took Diagon Alley in a tidal wave of red hair. Molly was hard-pressed to keep the large group together, especially with Ron and Ginny insisting on showing a wide-eyed Harry all the sights.

And what a changed sight the small lad himself was: the Glamour Arthur had cast on him that morning hid the telling scar, while the more permanent hair-altering charm Molly performed some days ago gave him a mop of softly gleaming red locks. Already being a bit under-sized for his age, they'd decided there was very little risk of anyone recognizing Harry as the Boy-Who-Lived, and so he got to come along on the annual trip.

Since it was just Bill and Charlie going back to Hogwarts this year, Molly only had to guide her group around to the shops where the boys could restock on essential supplies like quills and parchment, as well as the textbooks they'd need for new classes. Each of the younger children had someplace else they'd like to see, though, so the Weasleys ended up visiting Quality Quidditch Supplies, Sugarplum's Sweets Shop, and eventually Rosa Lee Teabag, where Molly was able to catch her breath while the eight youngsters chattered happily about what they'd seen and gotten. The new monthly stipend from Gringotts for Harry's well-being had certainly helped in that regard - putting the galleons into their emergency savings and budget for basic necessities meant that the money Molly and Arthur usually used for those same things was able to go to the rest of their children instead. They'd gotten this year's school books new at Flourish and Botts rather than the second-hand store, knowing that when Bill and then Charlie left Hogwarts those same texts would go to the younger siblings. The same went for the new set of robes each boy got, and the clothes purchased for the rest.

The grown Weasleys had discussed this as best they could with young Harry, who'd been rather startled to learn he actually had money of his own and that he wouldn't be a burden on his new family. In fact, he'd been so happy about this knowledge that the boy insisted they use any and all of it for whatever was needed.

"My word, Molly, however do you keep up with this lot?" A cheerful voice broke into her thoughts, causing Molly to turn and see Paula Bell entering the tea shop.

"Running about at top speed and yelling for them all to slow down," she answered ruefully. The other mother chuckled at that, going to place her order but soon returning to take a seat at the table closest to where Molly was presiding over her small army.

"I feel a might sorry for the Hogwarts professors who'll have to deal with some of these troublemakers." Paula mentioned, smiling as the twins put one over on Ron, to the younger boys annoyance and loud protest.

"Well, that is the real reason we spread them out, you know - Minerva alone wouldn't forgive me if I'd had this lot all within seven years and inflicted them on her all at once."

"Very true!" The women shared a chuckle.

"So, where's young Katie today?"

"Oh, I swear that girl gets more and more Quidditch mad every year - she and her father are off looking at brooms, Merlin knows why."

"Be thankful it's just the two of them in your family." Molly advised her. Paula nodded in agreement, head tilting as she tried to reassure herself she hadn't just miscounted something.

"Erm, don't take this the wrong way or anything, Molly, but I thought you only had seven children?"

Instantly realizing the dangerous territory their conversation had just stepped into, the Weasley matron was quick to rectify it. "Oh, no dear, it's seven _boys,_ with my lovely little Ginny there being number eight."

"I could have sworn..."

"Yes, well, the only reason I think I know exactly how many of them there are is considering how long I had to carry each one!" That got Paula to laugh, and then Molly was quick to steer them to how well their husbands were getting on with their jobs at the Ministry.

-TEW-

 _1987_

"...And you all promise you won't pester Mum too much? Or bother Dad when he gets home from work? Or let the gnomes over-run the house-"

"Per- _cyyy!"_ The youngest five Weasleys groaned.

"If you don't hurry, you're gonna miss the train!" Harry pointed out to him, finally getting it into their brother's head that he needed to quit pestering the kids and hurry onto the Hogwarts Express.

The remaining Weasleys all stuck around long enough to wave goodbye to Bill, Charlie and Percy as the trio headed off to school, before returning home to the Burrow. It was the unsaid expectation that they'd be getting a letter from the new first year that very evening, going in full about his first Hogwarts experience and delivering a few-last minute warnings about behaving for their parents during the year.

 _1989_

"...And it'll be very important to track mud in the house-"

"-As well as leaving the tub full of water when you're done with a bath-"

"-Maybe even going so far as to let a gnome or two inside while Mum's cooking-"

"Boys!" Molly admonished, even as the twins had their three younger siblings giggling up a storm. "I'm finally going to get a bit of peace and quiet in the house and already you're planning on spoiling it for me!"

"Sorry, Mum!"

"Sorry my wand, now get on that train!" Fred and George grinned, hugged all their remaining family members one last time, and then joined Charlie and Percy on the Express. Bill was already off on his new job with Gringotts, but had sent a letter wishing the twins luck (and congratulating the youngest on becoming the new Lords and Lady of the Burrow). It was going to be the quietest year that their home had seen in over a decade, and Ron, Harry and Ginny intended to enjoy every moment of it.

 _1991_

"...And make sure you don't go in our room, Gin."

"Ew, why would I want to? It's just full of stinky boy stuff."

"Good, because we got the twins to help us booby-trap it."

"... No you didn't!"

"Sure we did!" Ron and Harry grinned at their sister, who glowered back at the both of them.

"Just get on the train, you prats." The boys did just that, once they managed to get their tearful Mum to release her hug. The time had finally come for the youngest Weasley boys to attend Hogwarts, and Molly hadn't stopped sniffling since they left home. Percy had already gone to meet with the other Prefects, while the twins disappeared to track down their friends, leaving Ron and Harry to deal with the full force of their mother's anxiety.

"Promise me you'll both be safe!" She held them both at arms length while saying so, worried over more than just an empty house.

"Of course we will, Mum." Harry reassured her, ignoring Ron's exasperated look. "It's just school. And you and Dad have already warned me about what people might say or do over my past, so don't worry about that."

The eleven year old had been living with the Weasleys for just over five years, and rightly considered himself one of them. That didn't mean that his Mum and Dad hadn't called a family meeting that summer, getting all the kids together to fully explain what they knew of Harry's past and why he'd been brought to them. Everyone in Wizarding Britain knew about the Boy-Who-Lived, but the Weasley kids had always been careful not to be drawn into talking about him, since they knew it embarrassed Harry a great deal. He enjoyed just being a normal boy within the welcoming arms of their family.

"Alright, you two hurry on then, and be sure to write home often or I'll send a Howler after you!" With that, their Mum gave the boys a gentle nudge, getting them to hurry to grab their trunks and get aboard the train. They'd been hearing about this trip from their brothers for years, and were eager to experience it for themselves, especially with the extra money each had in his pockets.

One of the other surprises from the summer had been an unexpected guest arriving during Harry's birthday party. Rubeus Hagrid happily greeted the older boys that he knew, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, but was most ecstatic about meeting Harry for the second time. After nearly crushing the boy in a warm hug, the large man had then handed over a Gringotts key, giving him full access to his Trust Vault, as well as a beautiful snowy owl, whom he said was a birthday present. Hedwig, as she came to be known, was soon the spoiled pet of all the younger kids, who happily worked along the family owl Errol and Percy's new bird, Hermes.

With the key in hand and his Dad standing beside him, that summer's Diagon Alley shopping trip had also seen Harry enter his Gringotts vault for the first time, staring in awe at the stacks of coins. He'd taken enough for him and Ron to have some spending money, and then insisted his Dad take some as well. The wizard had tried to refuse, saying it was Harry's money, but the boy was persistent, claiming that if nothing else it should go to Christmas and birthday presents for all the Weasley kids. Touched, his Dad finally accepted, knowing he and Molly would be able to make many more shopping trips with this.

"You want to go find anyone, or should we just snag an empty compartment and wait for the trolley?" Ron asked him, snapping Harry back to the present.

"Eh, I don't really fancy introducing myself to more people than I have to, so let's just find someplace to ourselves. The others will probably come to check on us at some point, anyway."

"Point." The pair quickly found themselves a compartment, put up their trunks, and then settled down to look out the window. They were just able to spot their Mum and Ginny in the crowd on the platform, waving as the the train started to pull out. Their little sister waved back before she was lost to sight.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Erm, excuse me, have either of you guys seen a toad?" Neville poked his head into the compartment where a pair of red-headed boys were playing Exploding Snap.

"'Fraid we haven't, mate, did you lose one?" The one with green eyes asked politely.

"Yeah, his name's Trevor, and no matter what I do I just can't hold onto him."

"Well, our brother Percy's a Prefect, you could probably go ask him or one of the others to help you out." The other boy said. Beaming, Neville thanked him and headed off to do just that.

It was about half an hour later, after Percy Weasley had easily summoned Trevor right to him, that the delighted eleven year old returned to the same apartment in order to thank the boys again. This time, though, instead of finding a peaceful card game going on, Neville opened the door up onto chaos.

"FRED!"

"Sorry Ronniekins, wrong twin!"

"George, quit it!"

"I think our little brothers might not be appreciative of our efforts to cheer them up, Gred."

"I believe so as well, Forge, I wonder how they managed to turn into such ungrateful little sprogs?"

"You people never cease to amaze me," a dark skinned boy sitting in the corner laughed. On the floor of the compartment, four red-heads were wrestling amongst themselves, the larger, identical pair trying to restrain the smaller two and having only limited success.

"Um..." Instantly, all the combatants paused to look up at him. "Sh-should I come back later, maybe?"

"Harrison, Ronniekins, who's this?"

"Ah, kid we met earlier. Did you find your toad?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to say thanks again, your brother Percy got him for me." Neville started to exit again, but the taller pair of red-heads leapt to their feet and dragged him fully into the compartment.

"Hold on now, mate, you can't just say something like that and leave again without even introducing yourself!"

"Yeah, I'm Fred, he's George, that's our friend Lee Jordan, and the sprogs on the floor are Ron and Harry."

A hand tapped his foot, and when Neville looked down, the green eyed red-head was giving him a warning look. "Never believe these two when they say which of them is which. The only ones who can accurately tell them apart are our Dad and little sister, and neither of whom has ever given away the secret."

"Um, okay." Next thing he knew, Neville was maneuvered into sitting on one side of the compartment, beside Harry and Ron, with the older boys grinning across from them. "Oh, and, uh, I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom."

"Nice to meet you, Neville." Harry shook his hand. "I know the twins are a bit strange, but I felt the same way at first, and you get used to them eventually."

"Oy!" A pair of voices protested, only to be ignored.

"You felt-? But, I thought you were all brothers?"

"I'm adopted," Harry said by way of explanation. "The extra Weasley. My actual name is Harry Potter."

Neville's eyes widened. "Oh."

"Yeah, but don't make too much of a fuss about it, alright?" Ron asked him earnestly. "We've spent five years trying to keep anyone from finding out, and want to try and keep that going as long as possible, alright?"

Slowly, Neville nodded, smiling a bit. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Misters Weasley." The other boys smiled at him, while the trio of teens smirked to themselves.

"Well, if you three are going to hit it off, we'll go ahead and see ourselves out-"

"-yeah, places to be, pranks to pull-"

"-and most importantly-"

"-girls to chat up!" Even Lee joined in for that last part, as the laughing teens let themselves out of the compartment.

"Oh, Mum's gonna _love_ hearing about that," Ron grumbled. As he and Harry started debating who was going to send the first letter home and break the news to her, Neville quietly decided to himself that he was going to try and stick to these two like glue.

-TEW-

Stunning as the waterfront view of Hogwarts Castle was, Draco had soon regained his composure as he and the other eleven year olds exited the boats and followed Hagrid up to the doors. He was to be a shining example of pureblood power among these students, as his father had ordered, and that required appearing calm and confident as he walked among the crowd, Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass to either side with Greg Goyle and Vincent Crabbe right behind him. There wasn't a child among their little elite crowd who didn't doubt they'd all be going into Slytherin, and that Draco would be in charge.

The only possible obstacle to that was Harry Potter, whom no one had heard from in ten years but was, supposedly, to be one of their yearmates. That meant he was in this crowd, and Draco was determined to find and extend the hand of friendship before anyone else.

He'd already taken note of those he knew and those he didn't, which tended to be a pretty good indication of who was a pure, half, or mudblood. Unfortunately, the description he'd been given of Potter - dark hair, green eyes - didn't seem to have a match in the children around him.

So, a bit of calling out would have to suffice.

The perfect opportunity arose when McGonagall left them waiting at the doors to the Great Hall. "Well, I hope no one came here hoping to get autographs of the Boy-Who-Lived, because it would seem the rumors of his coming to Hogwarts were just that - rumors."

The other first years shifted and murmured uncomfortably, but no one was stepping forward to declare that they were the long lost Potter heir.

"I think it's just so sad," Draco continued. "That Dumbledore had to go and lose the hero of the Wizarding World."

"What makes you say that?" Turning his gaze onto the one who'd spoken, the young Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the pair of redheads.

"Weasleys. I might have known. Clearly, since your poor as dirt family has always backed the old man, you don't realize that he was the one responsible for hiding Harry Potter away - I certainly wouldn't tell my followers the child I was supposed to see to the care of disappeared on me."

"Is that what people think?" The other Weasley boy snickered. "Boy, is the _Prophet_ going to have something interesting to publish tomorrow."

Draco blinked, not used to this reaction in others. "What do you mean?" Neither of the redheads had a chance to respond, as just then the group's collective attention was captured by ghosts passing by overhead, chatting amongst themselves, before McGonagall opened up the doors.

-TEW-

In his years of teaching at Hogwarts, Severus Snape had endured many a hardship. Idiotic students melting cauldrons in class, the tiresome pranks carried out by young troublemakers, that irritating twinkle that the elderly Headmaster always got in his eye when he particularly amused by his Potions Master's rants... But this was the year when all those grievances could and would be put to shame.

This was the year that the Potter brat was coming to Hogwarts.

If there was one thing Severus dreaded above all else (besides the Dark Lord's return, that is), it was being forced to teach an even more arrogant version of James Potter. Whatever decent qualities Lily might have passed on to her son were sure to have been squashed out by the admiring fans and abundant wealth that the boy had. He was absolutely certain that the next seven years were going to be a nightmare come to life.

When Minerva led the new crop of first years into the Great Hall, Severus immediately began to cast his eyes over the lot in an effort to locate the proudly strutting boy he anticipated. Oddly enough, there wasn't any such person - even his godson Draco appeared subdued for some reason.

Regardless, he kept his eyes peeled through the Sorting Hat's song, his ears listening intently as Minerva began to read off of her list of names. The group of eleven year olds began to grow smaller and smaller, with Severus only just remembering to clap each time his Slytherins received a new member. His gaze had just landed on a pair of red haired boys when the Head of Gryffindor House finally called out the dreaded name.

"Harry Potter."

Severus near about fell out of his seat when one of those very boys moved forward to the stool and Hat.

Too far away to make out any details, especially once Potter had turned and sat down with the Sorting Hat upon his head, Severus could nonetheless still see some of the mop of red hair. He wondered how such a thing had occurred, especially considering that the last time he'd seen the boy, those locks were most certainly the same dark color of his father.

"...If you're so determined about it, then we'd best go with GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat's shout had all of the Lions standing and cheering, with Potter running straight for the trio of elder Weasleys. Narrowing his eyes as the teens all welcomed him with delighted grins and whispered congratulations, Severus had a sinking suspicion come upon him. When order was finally restored, and the rest of the names called, the Potions Master watched as the newest of the Weasley brood was also deemed a Gryffindor, and received the exact same treatment from his brothers as Potter had.

 _That_ was no mere foundling friendship just formed aboard the Hogwarts Express that morning. Severus decided a quiet word with Dumbledore was called for, at the earliest opportunity...


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Hoooly freakin' cow, people! The responses to the last chapter nearly knocked me out of my chair!_

 _I usually turn my phone off at night to avoid being woken up by the dings that inform me of new emails (which are often alerts from this site). It's then pretty entertaining in the morning to turn it back on and see how much activity my stories got while I was asleep. The day after I posted chapter 4? We had over twenty individual messages of favorites or follows, plus half a dozen new reviews._

That _is a new personal record. I was floored._

 _So, I do dearly hope y'all keep liking this story, as I'm going to now be dedicating myself solely to working on the Extra Weasley and my Nanowrimo novel (already over twenty thousand words) during this month. I might go so far as to put up a poll in December asking what Harry Potter story you guys might like to see me write next, since I've got a few ideas floating around..._

 _Anywho, enjoy!_

 _-Triscribe_

Chapter 5

When the Headmaster sent the students off after the Welcome Feast, Minerva was also determined to speak with him. She too had picked up on the way young Harry was welcomed into the Weasleys' fold as though he were another of their brothers, and while heartily glad for it, the grey haired woman smelled something fishy in the air. It wasn't just her Animagus senses, either.

Unsurprisingly, she and Severus ended up walking alongside one another as they followed Albus to his office. Noticing the decidedly unsettled look on the Potions Master's face, Minerva could easily surmise that he was as surprised by this development as she was.

"I must admit, Harry looks quite different from what I was expecting," she said carefully, watching the younger man's face spasm.

"Quite." He finally managed to bite out. When the pair reached the gargoyle protecting Albus' office, Minerva went ahead and spoke the password, sweeping on ahead of her colleague. As usual, the Headmaster called out for her to enter before the woman could even knock, but after decades of teaching under him she was quite used to it. Severus came in after her and shut the door.

"Please take a seat, both of you." Albus said, not unkindly. "I'm to assume this has something to do with the arrival of a certain lad tonight."

"Indeed." Minerva started off. "I was not aware that being hidden from the Wizarding World at large meant that Harry would be able to make friends from magical families before even leaving for Hogwarts."

Sighing, Albus appeared as though he aged right before her startled eyes. "There was... An issue with Harry's muggle relatives some years ago. They did not become the caring family I was hoping for."

"I knew it!" Trying to suppress her inner cat, which was purring with vindication, Minerva focused on the current concern. "I should hope you removed him from the household."

"Yes... I spent a few days attempting to find any other blood relations of Lily's to hide him with so that the boy would still be protected by the blood wards, but had no luck. I'd just decided he would have to return to the Dursley property, perhaps hidden behind charms that would prevent them from interacting with him, but the people I'd temporarily placed the boy with refused to consider it."

"The Weasleys." Minerva guessed, to which Albus nodded.

"...And they turned his hair that color in order to conceal his presence from others," Severus mumbled from where he sat. "That explains it."

"Yes, it was not something I expected from Molly and Arthur. It undoubtedly worked, though, as the lad has been able to experience Diagon Alley several times, even visited Platform Nine and Three Quarters on quite a few occasions to see off or welcome home his surrogate brothers."

"But now the deception is at risk, as other finally know what he looks like."

Albus' momentary twinkle disappeared from his eyes again. "Yes. I'm planning a trip to the Burrow at the earliest opportunity so as to discuss this with Arthur and Molly to see how they would wish to handle it."

Severus raised an astonished eyebrow at him. "I thought that the great Professor Dumbledore was the one who decided how things were handled when it came to the magical folk of Britain."

"Did you not hear him before, Severus?" Minerva spoke up before Albus could. "Albus wasn't planning on leaving Harry with the Weasleys, yet he still does, years later. I'm planning on asking Molly at the earliest opportunity exactly what method she used to convince him: wit or straight out intimidation." Considering how formidable the woman could be when it came to her family, Severus was forced to agree.

-TEW-

"I can't believe it. You've had THE Harry Potter living with you for over five years and you never once _mentioned it_ to the rest of us?" Angelina exclaimed, as Fred and George merely grinned. Katie and Alicia were in a similar state as the lot headed down to breakfast on the first day of the new term. Oliver seemed to be listening, but all of the other Gryffindor Quidditch players knew he was really thinking about when to hold tryouts for a new Seeker for the team.

"Well, we might have Angie-"

"-if it wasn't practically a guarantee-"

"-that you lot would react like this-"

"-and scare the poor kid half to death!" The twins exclaimed.

"Besides," one of them explained at length. "He's been our youngest brother for pretty much that whole time, and while _we_ can make him uncomfortable-"

"-that doesn't mean anyone else gets to." The other finished, looking at each of the girls pointedly. "Took us ages to get him to open up out of his shell, for that matter. We certainly didn't need any nosy witches or wizards pushing him back into it."

"Sorry." Angelina muttered. "Well... What can you guys tell us about him, as your littlest brother?"

That got Fred and George to grin, and set them off chattering about the united front Harry and Ron put up against the twins, and how when the pair teamed up with Ginny they were a force to be reckoned with.

"He's also the best flyer out of all of us." One of the redheads mentioned, finally getting Oliver's undivided attention.

"Yeah? Think he might try out for the team in a year or two?" The Quidditch Captain asked. The other twin snorted.

"Ollie, he's so damn fast you'd be wanting him to join up _this_ year - especially since the kid's always said he'd like to try his hand at Seeking."

That got Oliver's eyes to light up. "You two wouldn't mind seeing if he'd be interested, would you?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself? Looks like he and the others have beat us down." Sure enough, as the teammates entered the Great Hall, Percy was eating at the Gryffindor table with Harry, Ron, and Neville lined up across from him. "See, that's how you know Perce is the responsible one out of our lot: he's gone and made sure the ickle firsties made it down at a reasonable hour, as opposed to us who would probably have sent 'em off to the far reaches of the castle."

"You wouldn't!" Alicia smacked one of the twin's arms. "Not your own brothers, at least."

" _Especially_ our own brothers!" The pair chorused, laughing as they headed over.

"Hey, Ronniekins, Harrison, you know that lot of Quidditch-mad people we've been flying with since last year?" The smaller set of redheads looked up at the approaching Fred and George.

"Yeah - this is them?" Each of the boys looked a deal more excited.

"Sure are. These here are Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson and Oliver I-sleep-with-a-broom Wood. Team, these are our little sprogs, Harry and Ron."

"Nice to meet you both." Angelina offered her hand, which both the first years shook. As the other girls expressed the same sentiment, and Harry made sure to introduce Neville, Oliver took a seat beside Percy and carefully looked over the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Hi there, Harry. So, the twins tell me you're a decent Seeker, eh?"

Harry started to just shrug, but Ron leapt in instead. "Decent? He's one of the best! We don't play with a Snitch much back home 'cause it's pretty much a guarantee he's going to be the one to catch it, no matter who he's up against."

"I only started playing it, though, because when you're the Keeper no one can score any points!" Harry laughed. Oliver's eyebrows rose.

"Hm, well, looks like I'll be having some competition for that position in future then, eh Ron?" The slightly pudgier of the two boys grew red with embarrassment, but he was grinning. "Would either of you be interested in coming down to the Quidditch pitch during our first practice to show off those skills of yours?"

"Yes!" Both of them said at once, causing Angelina to turn and shoot an amused look at Fred and George.

"Are you two sure you're the only twins in this family?"

-TEW-

Hagrid was beyond delighted when Harry came to his house for tea, bringing two other Gryffindor boys along with him. One was introduced as his brother, Ron Weasley, while the other was their new friend Neville Longbottom.

"Shouldn't surprise me in th' least, knowin' you lot 'ave gotten tergether." The large man said fondly as he set some rock cakes on the table. "'Specially knowin' 'ow close Lily 'n Alice were back in th' day."

"Lily and- wait, our mums were friends?" Harry was startled, to say the least. The Weasleys had done their best to give him some stories about his parents, but beyond the basics there was a lot he didn't know.

"Oh, sure. Both Gryffindor lasses, very close durin' their years 'ere."

"Nev, do you think that your- Neville?" The other boy was looking down at the table, appearing very downcast. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know a lot about my mum." He slowly explained. "She and Dad have been in the St. Mungo's long-term care ward since I was a baby. My gran talks, well, compares me to my dad a lot, but she doesn't say much about Mum from before she and Dad got married. I didn't know she was friends with yours..."

"Well, I didn't either," Harry said honestly. "But if they were good friends, I think that they'd both be really happy to know we are too." That got Neville to lift his head and smile.

Ron, meanwhile, was watching the both of them while trying to shove Fang and his drool away. "Hey, if they were both Gryffindors, I bet that means they had Professor McGonagall for Head of House, right Hagrid?"

"'S very true!"

"Then maybe she'll know some good stories about them - we can ask at the same time Oliver goes to her about getting Harry onto the Quidditch team."

"That's brilliant, Ron!" From there, the conversation moved onto happy subjects, such as classes and Quidditch. Hagrid, unsurprisingly, didn't follow the sport more than to cheer on the Gryffindors at Hogwarts games, so Ron set about convincing him to become a Chudley Cannons fan.

"I thought that they were the worst in the league," Neville whispered to Harry at one point during Ron's passionate speech about the Cannons making a comeback that season.

"They are, but Ron's in denial. He's always dead certain that they'll starting winning again each season. I haven't the heart to try and convince him otherwise."

"... Fair enough."


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Sorry for the delay, folks, I had a holiday to spend at my roommate's place. Turns out that not going home for Thanksgiving was harder than I'd originally thought it would be... Anywho. We will now be returning to your regularly anticipated program, and please, no one shoot me for the ending - next update will be a fun one, I promise._

 _-Triscribe_

Chapter 6

If there was one thing Marcus knew how to do besides play Quidditch, it was spy on the other team's practice sessions. Whether he went himself or got some first years to do it, the Slytherin team Captain always made sure to see what at least one or two of his opponents was planning for game day. Considering how easily his team had crushed the Lions the year before, he wasn't all that worried about what Wood tried to arrange for this season.

However, that was before he heard about Potter becoming the new Gryffindor Seeker, and as a _first year_ no less.

That hardly seemed like good news.

The first Saturday practice had been reserved by his rivals in scarlet and gold, so Marcus made sure to have himself hidden in the base of one of the viewing stands well beforehand. He intently studied each of the Gryffindor players as they came onto the pitch, Potter grinning as he walked along between the Weasley twins. There'd been more than a few rumors going around that the Boy-Who-Lived had been living with the family of redheads, which Marcus was certainly inclined to believe.

He was also more than willing to believe Slytherin would have a hard time winning the Cup this year when Potter took off from the ground, moving so fast that Marcus could have blinked and missed it. No wonder the bloody first year had gotten special permission...

-TEW-

"Do you honestly think that after we've kept him safe all these years that we would simply allow you to move Harry someplace else with no earning?" Molly demanded of the Headmaster. "He's not some artifact to be shuffled about from one hiding place to another, Albus!"

"It's very simple, Professor." Arthur cut in, a bit more calmly than his wife but with no less steel in his eyes. "Harry's a member of our family now, and he'll _stay_ with us, where he belongs."

"I'm afraid that there are many in the Wizarding World now who would dispute such a claim, my boys." Dumbledore sighed, setting down his half empty tea cup.

"If they try to do anything to take my son away, then they're signing up for a fight to the death, I can promise you than." The Weasley matron bristled at the mere thought. Arthur, though, was frowning thoughtfully as he contemplated the situation.

"Albus... In the Potters' will, who did they leave guardianship of Harry to?"

"Sirius Black, and following him Frank and Alice Longbottom, I believe."

Arthur ignored Molly's muttered comment about _And not the muggles after them? Hardly surprising,_ in favor of voicing the solution that had presented itself in his mind. "So, after he was removed from the Dursley home, it can be concluded that Harry had no legal guardians to fight for custody of him."

"Well, there are a few distant blood relations who might argue otherwise-"

"Now there are, yes, but back then no one besides you knew of Harry's situation. Yes?" At Dumbledore's nod, Arthur grew considerably more pleased with himself. "Then we can file an adoption claim onto Harry, dated for the summer you brought him here, and once that's made official no one would be able to go against it."

"You presume, dear boy, that I would be able to create and authenticate such a document." The Headmaster said this as a warning, but there was no mistaking the twinkle in his eye.

"If there's one thing I continue to have faith with concerning you, Albus, it's your ability to make things happen in the Ministry." Arthur replied in a dry tone. "I ought to be able to get the first ball rolling, and all you'll have to do is make sure the adoption isn't held up anywhere else along the line."

"Oh, and then Harry really _will_ be an official Weasley." Molly smiled, a tad tearfully.

"Dearest, you know he's been one of us for years now-"

"Yes, yes, but this way we won't have to hide him or tell the others to keep from mentioning his name or age - I'm just relieved we can relax a bit, Arthur."

"Indeed. I would advise you both to make sure your wards are at full strength, however." Dumbledore warned them. "There is no telling no how many former agents of the Dark may wish to strike at Harry, either directly or through his adoptive family members."

That caused both the Weasley parents to exchange a grim look, holding one another's gaze for a few moments before each nodded firmly.

"We'll manage."

-TEW-

While her time spent at Hogwarts so far had been extremely informative for Hermione Granger, she still couldn't help but feel as though something were missing. Her social life was, as it had always been, sorely barren, to make up for which the girl threw herself wholeheartedly into her studies. Other Gryffindors had been welcoming at first, but as the weeks flew by she'd found herself alone more often than not.

Hermione didn't mind. On the contrary, she believed that the solitude helped her hone her mind, through reading books on various subjects or doing her class assignments and then some.

Still, despite everything following its usual path, she woke up on October 31st feeling as though something grand were about to happen. Up and dressed before the other girls in the dormitory had even begun to stir, Hermione nearly bounded with excitement as she headed downstairs, eager to get an early breakfast and then start in on a stack of books she'd checked out from the library the day before.

The eleven year old came to a sudden halt, though, when she noticed someone else in the otherwise empty common room.

Harry Potter, whom she'd both read and heard about, was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, carefully writing something out on a piece of parchment. To her surprise, as soon as he'd finished, the boy lifted the note to put into the flames.

"What are you doing?!" She exclaimed, startling him and causing Harry to jump to his feet.

"Oh! Um, I was- you see-" He looked between her and the parchment and the flames and back again. "Uh..."

"I didn't mean to give you a start," Hermione said a little more quietly. "But it can be rather dangerous to handle anything burning like that."

Harry relaxed a bit. "It's fine, actually. Thanks for the concern, but this is something I do every year."

"I beg your pardon?" Sighing, the boy motioned for her to come closer.

"See, each Halloween I write a letter to my parents, burn it and then scatter the ashes to the wind." He gave a little shrug. "It's a custom I read about once, and asked my adopted mum if we could do it. She helped me figure out the sort of things I wanted to say, and how to set the parchment alight so that I don't lose any of the ashes." Just then, Hermione noticed the carefully arranged square of canvas set before the fireplace, which Harry had clearly been intending to let the letter fall onto once it had caught fire.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for interrupting you, then-"

"It's okay, really. My brother Ron had promised to come with me, but he isn't up yet." Having met the other Weasley boy, Hermione couldn't say she was surprised. "I wouldn't mind some company, actually."

"Well, if you're quite sure..." At Harry's warm smile and nod, Hermione hesitantly set herself on one of the nearby armchairs. She watched at the boy carefully lit a corner of the parchment, holding it over the canvas as bits of ash crumbled and fell. When the glowing line of heat got closer to his fingers, Harry released the final bit to drop down as well, the flame dying out before it even landed. Then he grabbed the edges of the canvas, folded it up into a neat little package, and stood.

"Coming?" Hermione got to her feet as well and followed him out the portrait hole. The two of them began to chat about classes as they headed down and out of the castle. Once they'd reached to a sufficiently windy, Harry gave his bundle of canvas a flourish and released the ashes. The tiny grey flecks broke up into so much dust, carried away by the breeze.

"Is... Is there anything else?" Hermione asked after a few moments of silence. Harry shook his head, smiling wistfully.

"Nah, that's it. Thanks for coming with me, er, Hermione, was it?"

"Oh! Yes, Hermione Granger."

"Brilliant. I'm Harry." They exchanged a belated handshake, and turned to head back inside. "Looking forward to the feast tonight?"

"Well, not really. I'm not used to having a lot of sweets at once - I was planning on just popping in long enough to get my dinner and then head of to do some studying."

"You can't do that on a holiday! It's practically criminal!" Harry cried, aghast. "You've got to come sit with me and my brothers, it'll be fun, I promise."

"Well..."

"Please? If you're that unsure, let it be my way of repaying you for coming out with me this morning."

"That's hardly necessary, Harry." She tried to hold firm, but the pleading look that the green eyed boy was giving her broke down Hermione's walls, and she sighed. "Oh all right, I'll come sit with you."

He grinned, about to say she wouldn't regret it, when a voice called out from the doors ahead of them.

"Harry! I'm so sorry I slept in mate, I know I promised to- uh, who's this?"

"Ron, you ought to know Hermione - she's in our house and year, you dolt."

"Er, right, sorry." The other boy's face turned a shade of red that nearly matched his hair as Harry chuckled. Hermione felt as though she should be annoyed, but was too busy focusing on the happy, bubbly feeling she was getting to have made an actual friend.

She didn't know at the time that that feeling would vanish in an instant later that afternoon, when she heard Ron complaining to Harry about her being a nosy busy-body, and why did he have to go and invite her to join them at the feast?

She also didn't know that fleeing and hiding in the girl's lavatory would put her straight in harm's way that night, what with a troll roaming about the castle and all...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Percy Weasley tamped down his panic after Professor Quirrell's unexpected entry and announcement, forcefully reminding himself that he was a Prefect of Gryffindor, and more than that, he was an older brother who had to keep his younger ones out of danger. And as such, he was able to spot and do a timely interception when his smallest two brothers attempted to slip away from the group making for Gryffindor Tower.

" _What_ do you to think you are _doing?"_ He demanded, shooting a wave at his fellow Prefects to keep the other students moving.

"We've got to go warn Hermione!"

"What?"

"Hermione Granger, Perce, she's still in the girl's bathroom on the first floor, and she doesn't know about the troll!" Seeing the fear on Harry's face and the guilt on Ron's, Percy squared his shoulders and made a decision.

"Right then. Both of you, join the others, find the twins and don't leave their side. I'll go retrieve Miss Granger and make sure she comes to no harm." Both the boys appeared relieved, and hurried off to follow his orders. Scanning the retreating group of Gryffindors, Percy caught sight of Fred and George's concerned faces. _Watch them,_ he mouthed, gesturing to the pair of first years scrambling up to staircase. Nodding assent, the Weasley twins began to shove their way back through the crowd so as to reach their smallest brothers and make sure they kept up.

Brotherly duties fulfilled, Percy started off down the hallway in order to do the same with his Prefect obligations.

-TEW-

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME _WERE YOU THINKING?!"_ Poppy winced as Molly Weasley's voice careened about the Hogwarts infirmary, directed squarely at her third eldest son. The medi-witch thought it nothing short of a miracle that the lad hadn't yet cowered before his mother, but instead was looking up at her with a tired but steely expression.

"A student was in danger, mother-"

"So WHY didn't you go get a TEACHER?!"

"There wasn't time!" He protested. "I was barely quick enough to stop Ron and Harry from going-"

" _WHAT?!"_

Sighing, the lad took a moment to adjust his glasses before answering. "The girl in question was a friend of theirs, mother, and the two of them had been about to run after her themselves. I would _much_ rather prefer that _I_ got a minor concussion and a few bruises than for something much worse to have happened to one or the both of them." Silently, Poppy had to agree with his perception of the situation - having Molly Weasley in her infirmary delivering the same bellowed conniptions at two of her youngest would have been an infinitely more exasperating situation than the one they were currently in. Or, had things not turned out well, having a sobbing Molly Weasley bent over a pair of small, sheet-covered forms... No, the medi-witch quite agreed with the Prefect's course of action.

Apparently the Headmaster thought so as well, as he said as much upon entering her infirmary. "And for your actions in putting family first, Mr. Weasley, I should like to award Gryffindor twenty points. It should also bear mentioning that for their willingness to go to a friend's aid despite the danger, I have awarded both the youngest Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter ten points each."

The fifth year sitting propped up on a bed blinked as he did the math. "But, sir, that cancels out the points Professor McGonagall took away earlier-"

"I'm quite aware of that, dear boy, and Professor McGonagall is as well. I believe she was quite pleased with the amount of Gryffindor bravery shown this night, but had to deduct those points as a matter of principle, especially in front of myself and the other teachers."

"Oh."

Shaking her head at the lad's dumbfounded expression, Poppy bustled over to run her diagnostic spells over the patient once more. "Excuse me Albus, Molly, this won't take but a jiffy." Seeing that her potions had done their jobs, she pronounced the student to be fully set to rights. Mrs. Weasley immediately hauled her son to his feet and walloped him upside the head.

"Ow! Mum!"

" _That_ is for not going and getting a teacher." The woman said sternly, before pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh, but I'm so glad you and the little ones are alright..."

"Ahem," Poppy coughed politely as Albus merely stood by and smiled. "Molly, if you crack that boy's ribs or suffocate him, I shall be most displeased with you."

It took a few moments more, but eventually the emotionally exhausted woman released her son. "Right, right, you need to get back to your dorm and get some rest, and I need to go track down your father-"

"No need, my dear." Albus spoke up. "After we left my office, I believe Arthur was headed directly to Gryffindor Tower so as to have a word with the rest of your boys."

"Ah, thank you Headmaster. We'll just pop off for there now, come along, Percy."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Poppy had to admire the lad, who didn't make a face at the prospect of his mother escorting him back to his common room.

-TEW-

If Minerva's heart had nearly stopped when two of her students were nearly killed by a troll the night of the 31st, it was greatly warmed the next day when she saw four of her first years sticking together like glue, and always in the company of at least one of the elder Weasley brothers. It seemed that Miss Granger had been firmly and irrevocably added to the friendship between Harry, Ron and Neville, for which the aged Transfiguration professor was grateful. She'd been worrying about the girl, truth be told, and the lack of meaningful relationships for her.

Still, as glad as Minerva was for the way things turned out, the troll incident was not something to be overlooked, hence why she, Albus and the other Heads of House gathered together that first evening of November in order to discuss various aspects of the situation.

The talk wasn't going as well as it could have.

"As I've said and am going to continue to say, _someone_ is in the castle and searching for the Stone - we cannot afford to rely on so few defenses to keep it safe."

"So you have told us time and again, Minerva, but I believe the spells we have all contributed will be enough."

"For once, Headmaster, I am inclined to agree with our Head of Gryffindor." Severus drawled from the seat where he kept his injured leg at a careful angle. "That beast of Hagrid's may be a formidable first guard, but no creature is infallible."

"That's why we have such a variety of defenses though, isn't?"

"Exactly so, my dear Pomona. And then there is my contribution to the final protection, which I am absolutely certain will prevent the Stone from falling into the wrong hands."

Flitwick arched an eyebrow at the Headmaster. "Oh? Do you intend to share with us, Albus?"

"Let us just say, it is a matter of one's mindset." No matter how the teachers pressed him, Dumbledore refused to say any more on the matter.

"Well," Minerva huffed. "Shall we move on to the matter of the troll, then? And exactly how someone managed to sneak it into the castle, putting the students in danger?"

"I have not yet had an opportunity to investigate, but I would place the most likely way as to one of the secret passages into the dungeon having been temporarily enlarged and stripped of certain wards."

"Entirely likely, Severus. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you mind terribly if I accompanied you on the search to find any such passages?"

Bearing in mind his fellow professor's excellent prowess with a wand, the Potions Master was quick to agree.

"And how are your lions doing after their ordeal, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked, directing the others' gazes back to her.

"Quite well, thank you Albus. Mr. Weasley is hardier than he appears, and Miss Granger has a few of her classmates rallying around her for emotional support."

"Ah - would I be correct in guessing that among them would be the two lads who very nearly rushed to Miss Granger's defense themselves?"

Minerva narrowed her eyes at him. "You would be correct. Does it matter?"

"No, no, just a conjecture on my part. Now, as for the proper disposal of the troll's body..."

 _A/N: Thoughts? Reactions? Anyone particularly ecstatic over the changes I'm making to members of the Weasley family? I always thought that for a kid with three brothers ahead of him in Hogwarts, Ron never got very many examples of elder sibling over-protectiveness. So, that's getting tweaked now._

 _-Triscribe_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

November and December passed through Hogwarts almost too quickly for Neville to follow, which wasn't too surprising, considering the friends he'd managed to make. He got to sit with the other three first years at meals, in classes, and Ron and Hermione when the three of them cheered Harry on at the Quidditch games. Moments like when their friend's broom was cursed during one match, nearly sending Harry to his death, managed to stand out, but for the most part the days flew by without too much excitement.

So, it was with great trepidation that Neville, after hearing that the assorted Weasley brothers were planning on spending the winter holidays at Hogwarts, sent a letter to his Gran asking if the redheads could come stay with them. Her response had come back almost immediately, a brief and surprised agreement, which had the boy grinning from ear to ear.

"What's got you looking so happy, Nev?" Ron asked that morning at breakfast.

"Got a reply from my Gran."

"Oh, about whatever question it was you were planning to ask her in your last letter?" Hermione inquired, setting down the book she'd been browsing through.

"Yeah. And she said yes. So," Neville took a deep, bracing breath. "Ron, Harry, would you and your brothers like to come spend holidays at Longbottom Manor with me?"

Both redheads gaped at him, before Ron whooped at the top of his lungs and Harry gained a grin just as wide as their friend's. "I think it's safe to say we'd all love to, Neville. But, are you really sure you want to invite the twins along?" He joked.

"Eh, they aren't so bad. And as long as they don't mess with my greenhouse, I think it'll be fine." By that point, Ron had hurried off down the table to tell Percy about the invitation, causing the elder Weasley to look towards Neville with an expression of gratitude.

Hermione, though, was sighing wistfully. "What I wouldn't give to see a real magical home..."

"You can come visit if you like." Neville went ahead and offered, still feeling bold from his current success. "I can ask Gran to arrange for a portkey, or maybe get you a connection to the Floo network."

The girl's answering smile just served to brighten his own mood even more.

-TEW-

"Whoa." Ron gaped up at the austere looking Longbottom Manor, where Neville's Gran had just brought them with a length of ribbon portkey from King's Cross Station. It was easily three times the size of the Burrow, but with barely a third the number of people living there.

"Right then, I'll show you guys where the guest rooms are," Neville started speaking immediately as he led the clan of redheads through the front gate. "Then we can go out back for a tour of the grounds - there's a small Quidditch pitch off behind the greenhouses, but it's a bit overgrown since I've never used it before."

"Brilliant!" Fred and George grinned as one. "Maybe we can get a game going later." One of them continued. The boys all continued to chatter as they went on, leaving Augusta Longbottom and her brother Algernon standing stunned where the portkey had dropped them.

"Algie..." The grey haired woman said slowly. "Who is that boy pretending to be my grandson?"

"Haven't the foggiest, m'dear."

Inside, Neville called the pair of house elves who'd often helped take care of him as a small child, introducing them to the Weasleys, all of whom made the effort to be polite, Harry especially. The elves, Gilly and Polin, were beyond delighted, and promised the have a tray of treats made up for the boys who'd come to stay with "Dear little Master Neville."

Said master felt his ears growing read as Ron snickered over the term, but relaxed again when Percy knocked his little brother upside the head. Then the six of them trooped upstairs, to see the three guest rooms already prepared for their arrival.

"I figured Ron and Harry would want to share a room, like George and Fred, but Percy's got this one all to himself." Neville explained as they looked into the bedrooms, where the house elves had already teleported their luggage trunks.

"Perfect. Thanks, Nev." Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "Now, let's go see that Quidditch pitch of yours!"

-TEW-

"...It's a positively amazing change, Minerva." Augusta was saying through her Floo that night. "If I wasn't certain the wards would have only let a true Longbottom open the gates, I'd have sworn someone was impersonating my grandson with Polyjuice or the like."

"Mm, well, perhaps this serves to allay your fears about the lad adjusting to Hogwarts?" The Transfiguration professor smiled indulgently at her old classmate, who sniffed.

"Yes, well, as long as his final grades continue to be acceptable..."

"Oh honestly, Augusta, all Neville needed were some friends who could help raise his own feeling of self-worth."

"It would seem so... Do you know, not even a day after asking if I'd allow those Weasleys to stay for the break, he sent another message asking for arrangements to be made for a muggle-born friend to visit as well?"

"Ah, Miss Granger, I would guess."

"Yes! If it weren't for the continued strength of his manners, I'd say the boy's become downright demaning!"

"For his previous standards, perhaps. But compared to some of his peers, I'd be more inclined to tell you that this new behavior of Neville's is perfectly healthy. And for that, you'd best be thanking Misters Weasley and Potter."

"I suppose I shall..."

 _A/N: Sorry about the long delay, folks, I've been occupied by other things as of late - namely, my end of course exams. But as of an hour and a half ago, I finished my last final! Take that, Algebra!_

 _Tonight, I back. Tomorrow, I drive exactly one thousand miles from college here in Colorado to my mom's house in Texas. And after that, I'll have a little less than three weeks to plan and plot this and other tales, hopefully having some more updates to help tide you guys through the time period I've noticed doesn't have as many authors updating as usual._

 _Hope you all are getting ready for happy holidays, folks! So long for now,_

 _-Triscribe_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sitting on the Hogwarts express heading back to school for the new term, all Hermione kept chattering about was how amazing it was to see where Neville had grown up, but why would good people do something as horrendous as keep house elf slaves, and shouldn't they do something about that?

"Hermione," Ron was the first to try and break her planning. "Goblins work in Gringotts. Wizards and witches work in the Ministry. House elves work in magical households. That's just how things _work."_

The young witch huffed and crossed her arms. "Well, honestly, it ought to be changed. At the very least the elves should be paid for their services!"

"A good idea, but getting it to happen could take a while." Harry pointed out to her. "Long-term planning, Hermione. We'll come back to this, I promise, but now we should be considering what to do about the Stone."

After a run-in with the Cerebus on the third floor and figuring out that the Philosopher's Stone was being hid within Hogwarts, the four kids had begun a secret campaign to try and discover who might be after it. They'd ruled out most of the student body as suspects, as well as a few of the teachers, but were still stuck wondering what else their little group could do to prevent the magical artifact from falling into the wrong hands.

"Well... Considering we were just talking about house elves, do you think we might get some of the Hogwarts ones to help us keep an eye on the third floor corridor?" Neville suggested.

"Hogwarts has house elf slaves too?!" All three boys groaned at the return of Hermione's indignity.

"Not a half bad idea, Nev. We'll slip down to the kitchens sometime in the next couple days to ask them." Harry told him as Ron set about attempting to diffuse their female friend once more. The four first years eventually got their discussion back on track, continuing it until they arrived back at Hogwarts.

Then things became more interesting than usual when Harry found a late Christmas present waiting on his bed.

-TEW-

"That," Fred stated as their green eyed little brother showed off his new invisibility cloak. "Is possibly the greatest thing I have ever seen."

"Don't you mean _not_ seen?" George joked, setting the younger boys off snickering.

"Yes, yes, you know what I meant." The other twin rolled his eyes. "My _point_ being that this introduces all sorts of possibilities into our lives-"

"I'm going to say here and now that you two are only allowed to borrow this thing for pranking purposes no more than twice a week." Harry warned them. "And if you try and filch it from me, I'll go get that ratty old piece of parchment you claim to be your greatest tool."

Fred and George exchanged a contemplative look, and reluctantly agreed to their youngest brother's terms. At least they'd get to use the cloak every week.

"I still want to know who you got it from." Percy murmured from where he leaned against a bedpost. The five redheads were gathered in the fifth year Gryffindor boy's room, since it's other occupants were all out. And while Percy's inner prefect was screaming at him to go report the cloak's presence to a teacher, his slightly more dominant inner big brother was holding sway with the argument that the worst any of them would do with it was pull a few pranks.

"Had to be someone in the school." Ron said firmly. "No address or anything on the package to show it came by Owl Post."

"Ickle Ronniekins has a point there." Agreed George.

"Amazing - he's actually coming up with good ideas!" Fred chuckled.

"Oh, stuff it, both of you." The first year glowered at them.

"Enough," Percy interrupted before it could escalate any further. "Harry? What's wrong?" All three of the others swiveled to look at their youngest brother, who'd removed the cloak and was staring at it pensively.

"...This could have saved them. Or one of them, at least." He muttered, fingers running over the silky cloth.

"Who?" Ron blurted out, before thinking and realizing. "Oh... Your first mum and dad?"

"If they'd had this that night, one of them could have put it on and run with me." At the first sniffle, Harry found himself caught in all directions by his big brothers' warm embraces as all four of them sought to deliver some amount of comfort.

It was, he'd long ago decided, the best part of being a Weasley. The group hugs were simply brilliant.

-TEW-

When a hesitant knock came at her door after hours, Minerva knew it had to be either a prefect or a rather desperate student. Setting aside the papers she'd been marking, she called for whoever it was to enter.

Percy Weasley entered, wearing a rather pensive expression. He approached her desk, taking the lone chair in front of it, and simply remained silent for a number of minutes. Just as Minerva was about to lose her patience and ask what he was doing there, the prefect spoke up. "Do you know about the invisibility cloak that had belonged to James Potter?"

Startled, it was all the grey haired woman could do to nod an affirmative.

"Someone other than the Potters had it the night they were killed. And that someone left it on Harry's bed as a late Christmas present." The lad explained. "I wasn't sure whether to tell you about it or not, since he's the most responsible of my little brothers and I doubt Harry would do anything too dangerous with it - but that was before he broke down a bit because he realized that having it could have saved one or both of his actual parents."

Minerva's eyes closed of their own volition as she too realized the full implications of that statement. In the first place was a brief moment of panic that she'd have a new quartet of Marauders on her hands to deal with, but that was swiftly overwhelmed by empathy for the young lad caught once again by grief for the family brutally stripped away from him.

"As it is a former belonging of his father's, I will not ask Harry to surrender the cloak to me." She said after a few moments. "I will, however, ask that you inform your parents of this development as well, and that in years future they attempt to keep it at home."

Percy's downcast lips twitched into a small smile. "Attempt, Professor?"

"Indeed. I'm fully aware that your other brothers will make their own efforts to ensure the cloak _is_ brought to Hogwarts, so that it might be borrowed on, presumably, a regular basis." Minerva fixed him with a stern look. "I trust you will be doing what you can to curb the twins, yes?"

"Always, ma'am."

"Good. Mr. Weasley... I will be honest with you. While I need approachable, rule-abiding students such as yourself in the position of prefect, it should also be understood that everyone is allowed to have a little fun at least once in a while." He stared at her, hardly believing what his Head of House was indicating with her amused tone and the wink she finished off with. "Do you catch my drift, young sir?"

"...I think so." If she was encouraging him to actually pull a prank or two of his own, that was.

"Then, I shall send you back to the tower, Mr. Weasley, and decline to mention that weekends are perhaps the best time for classrooms to undergo redecoration."

A few days later, Minerva was discussing dueling techniques with Professor Flitwick as the two of them walked towards the great hall, and were able to witness a crowd of giggling students admiring the dancing snowmen that filled the classrooms and hall of the east wing's second floor.

"I didn't think the Weasley twins had gotten so proficient with their spellwork just yet," Filius commented, not noticing the soft smile that graced Minerva's face. For just down the hallway, Percy Weasley was laughing as he and his fellow prefects attempted to herd away some of the snowmen, aided by several enthusiastic and thoroughly delighted Gryffindor first years.

 _A/N: ...Hi, folks. So, I made it to Texas in one piece for my winter break, only to discover that we no longer have an internet connection in the house, along with the previously unknown detail of my (exasperating) 83 year old grandmother coming to visit as well. Oh, and that the fridge was broken too, but that didn't have so much of an influence on my writing time._

 _Which altogether means that instead of the large swaths of writing time I'd been anticipating, the handful of snatches of online connectivity I've managed to get were not enough to really get into a creative mood. This chapter is finally done enough for posting, which I'm gonna do even if I think it could stand to have a little more._

 _Hope all of you have been enjoying your holiday season more-so than me,_

 _-Trsicribe_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Percy near about jumped out of his skin from the sudden banging, as did all the other boys in the fifth year dormitory if the various groans were anything to go by. Someone else stumbled upright and went to answer the door, as the redhead closed his eyes and attempted to return to sleep.

That effort ended up being for nought as his fellow students returned. "Weasley! Go deal with your brothers. I don't know what's got them so stirred up but it's far too early for this..." The other boy flopped face-first back onto his own bed, while Percy reluctantly stood.

"Fred, George, what's..." His sleep-addled mind suddenly snapped to full awareness as the anxious expressions on the twins' faces registered. "What's wrong?"

"It's Ron and Harry-"

"-and Neville and Hermione-"

"-we were worried about how secretive they've been lately-"

"-so we checked on 'em-"

"-well, on the boys at least, we got someone else to look in on the girls-"

"-but the point is, they're _gone!"_

Percy blinked. "Gone? Gone where?"

"Remember what the Headmaster said at the beginning of the year-"

"-about the third floor corridor being off limits?"

"...Oh, no..."

-TEW-

Screaming, all four first years landed on something damp and springy, collectively trying to calm themselves.

"That- that was _far_ too close." Harry managed to gasp out.

"No argument there, mate." Ron groaned in agreement, attempting to stand - only for something to catch and hold his legs and left hand. "What the...?"

"Uh-oh."

"Neviiiille... What plant is this?"

"One I've only read about before - Devil's Snare. Just stay calm for now, and somebody please tell me they've got a hand on their wand."

"I'm holding mine."

"Okay then Hermione, know a spell in that big brain of yours that can give us some sunlight?" Despite his relaxed demeanor, Neville's heart was pounding, and he knew that the plant knew. Evidently Ron and Harry were the same, because the plant was clearly moving in the darkness.

Fortunately, none of them had time to panic before Hermione acted. "Lumos Solem!" The blinding flash of light forced them all to shut their eyes, and a moment later the eleven year olds were falling again, this time onto a hard stone floor.

"What _was_ that thing, Nev?"

"A type of nocturnal vine that's used a lot as a guardian." The boy answered. "If you struggle, it just binds you tighter - the only ways to escape it are by remaining completely calm or else summoning sunlight."

"I'm so glad we have a plant expert." Ron slung his arms around Neville's shoulders, grinning in relief. "Or else we might _really_ have been in trouble."

"I know about Devil's Snare." Hermione muttered belligerently. She paused for a thoughtful moment, before adding a bit more humbly, "I might not have remembered the thing about sunlight, though."

"That's okay, Hermione, I don't think any of us are going to beat Neville when it comes to plants for a long while yet." Harry offered her a reassuring smile. "Now come on,we've got to stop the thief before he reaches the Stone."

Originally, they'd been highly suspect of Snape being the one hunting the Philosopher's Stone, but that was before Harry and Neville, safe under the invisibility cloak, came across a disturbing scene between the Potions Master and Professor Quirrell. That had not only been the night Neville suggested the thief being someone nobody suspected rather than a person who was so obvious, but also the one that he and Harry discovered the mirror. One which happened to show wonderful but unreal things: all three Longbottoms enjoying an outing together in full health, as well as the complete Potter and Weasley families spending happy times together. When both Ron and Hermione had been taken to see the mirror, the former saw himself winning the World Cup for the Chudley Cannons, while the latter had become an important Ministry official, one responsible for writing and signing in new laws that made Britain a better place.

The older Weasleys got to see it too - their encounter with the mirror set Fred and George off generating ideas for a family-owned store of practical jokes and pranking materials. Percy smiled dreamily as seeing himself as Minister of Magic, and the promptly informed the younger students that sneaking out to see the mirror _was_ against the rules, and that he'd be forced in inform on them if they did it again. After that, the first years returned diligently to their studies - those for school, and those on matters concerning the Philosopher's Stone.

Which was what led to them being here, in a secret passageway, hoping that they could catch up to the thief and stop him before he succeeded.

And also, in the backs of all their minds, hoping to complete their mission and get back to Gryffindor Tower before anyone realized where they'd been and what they'd done. Because no one wanted to serve another night patrol detention with Hagrid - the first time had been plenty bad enough, with Neville and Harry trapped by the looming shadow-being as Malfoy fled screaming. (Ron pointed out later that being able to laugh over the git's cowardice was nice, though it didn't distract from the fact that Voldemort was back.) And even if another such detention went a lot more smoothly, none of them were eager to volunteer for the punishment.

-TEW-

Within minutes of Percy Weasley and his brothers going to Professor McGonagall's quarters, all the other Heads of House and Dumbledore had been summoned, in various states of wakefulness. They all became quite alert, though, at the mention of the third floor corridor. Severus himself wanted to know just how the elder Weasleys were aware of this detail, but decided that it could wait until later. First, the four young fools had to be stopped from whatever it was they thought they were doing, and suitably punished for putting themselves in such danger.

And for once, the sour-faced Potions Master decided he would be quite content to leave the punishing to someone else, and Minerva sent a Patronus to the Burrow asking Molly and Arthur to come as quickly as possible.

Not for all the galleons in the world would Severus trade places with Potter and the youngest Weasley when their mother arrived.

 _A/N... First off: I'M SORRY. I just haven't been able to get in a Hogwarts kind of writing mood for a while, and I can't promise how soon the next update will come - my ideas for this story get a lot more scattered and incomplete once the first year is over with._

 _Second off: School is back in session, and after almost two months of slowly going insane I finally have a new, beautiful laptop, which allows me to relax and dive into various literary projects once more in the comfort of my own room. This means I'll be diversifying what I work on once more, and hopefully that will include this story._

 _Third off: I turn 19 in two days._

 _Fourth off: Mama Bear Molly will be making a reappearance in the next chapter. Aside from that, I have no idea what else is going to be included. We'll just have to wait and see where the inspiration takes me, won't we?_

 _Much thanks to anyone who still is interested enough to keep reading The Extra Weasley,_

 _-Triscribe_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Despite being a non-fighting member of the Order of the Phoenix in the last war, Molly had been subjected to her fair share of horrible sights - battle wounds sustained by her fellow members, torture victims passed by while making her way through St. Mungo's, to say nothing of the grim and snarling visages of arrested Death Eaters.

There was nothing, though, that topped spotting two blood-stained children coming down the corridor towards you, one of whom happens to be your own offspring.

" _RON!"_ Blearily, the boy lifted his head, just in time for his mum to swoop down on him. "Oh my dear Merlin, Ron, what happened? Where are you bleeding? How bad does it hurt-" Even as she rattled off the questions, Molly was bundling both her son and the wide-eyed Neville Longbottom in the direction of the infirmary. She gave Arthur and the teachers a glance that told them to continue on, which they promptly did. The states of the two boys did not bode well for their still missing friends.

Arriving in the infirmary, a forewarned Poppy Pomfrey immediately set about checking the pair over, declaring Ron to be suffering from several lacerations and a bit of blunt force trauma while Neville was merely bruised and in shock.

Once both boys were settled on their own beds, Molly once again demanded to know what happened. Slowly, she got a story that went back nearly to the start of the previous term, one involving priceless artifacts, mysterious thieves, and adults who didn't seem to be doing anything about the threat. The woman had to breathe deeply to keep her anger contained - anger directed at Minerva and Albus and whoever else had missed what her children were doing, which the boys didn't deserve to have directed at them.

She'd reserve feeling upset at the kids until _after_ they were all retrieved and deemed safe.

About twenty minutes later, Professor Sprout arrived, leading a very upset girl with bushy brown hair. Molly assumed this to be the Hermione Granger her boys had mentioned in their letters to home, and gave her a warm hug once Poppy had finished looking over the child.

A few minutes after that, Minerva swept in alongside Arthur, who was cradling an unconscious Harry to his chest. Forcing back her rising panic, Molly kept close to her husband's side as their youngest boy was looked over, his cuts and bruises healed and the knot on the back of his head looked over. Eventually, Poppy decided she'd done all she could, and let Harry rest on the bed next to Ron. Albus was the next to show his face, which Molly thought was highly foolish of him. The naked concern Minerva had shown to all her students upon arrival, as well as the shame she expressed to having dismissed their concerns earlier in the year, went a long way to reducing Molly's anger with her.

The Headmaster, however, not only ignored the Weasley parents' concerns over what he'd been up to, but even went so far as to offer to sit with Harry while the two of them stayed close to Ron's bedside.

Molly might not have been the tallest witch in Great Britain, but the fury she aimed directly at Albus over that suggestion made it seem as though she towered over him. Hermione, Neville and Ron's eyes all widened at the impressive tirade the woman delivered to their Headmaster, ranting on about manipulations and schemes and how _dare_ he bring eleven year old children into it all!

Harry even awoke for a few moments during this, stared at the woman who'd been his mother for nearly six years, then grinned and promptly fell back asleep.

"...and if I suspect you're doing anything like this again, so help me Albus, I'll take you to task the same as I would anyone else!" Molly finally finished, breathing heavily. The twinkle had disappeared from the old man's eyes halfway through her rant, though he looked more grave than apologetic. He promptly retreated, asking to simply be informed upon Harry's return to consciousness.

Not long after Albus and the other professors left, three familiar mops of red hair appeared in the infirmary doorway. Arthur sighed and shook his head, but didn't protest and Percy and the twins came in to seat themselves around their younger brother's bedsides.

"...Where's Ginny?" The oldest of the boys asked at one point.

"We sent her over to the Lovegood's for the night." Molly answered, running a hand through the drowsing Ron's hair. "I hope she manages to get some sleep, since we only said there was a problem at Hogwarts."

"You can use the fireplace in my office to Floo call and check, if you like." Poppy called out. Arthur went ahead and took her up on it, returning a few minutes later with a rueful expression on his face.

"She definitely wasn't asleep, but I don't think she'll have a problem dropping off now that I've said everyone's fine."

-TEW-

Ron woke up in the early hours of the morning to find himself surrounded by the familiar, sleeping faces of his family members. Relieved to have made it out of the monstrous chess match alive, he nonetheless propped himself up to look around for his younger brother. Once he spotted the sixth head of red hair on the next bed over, the boy relaxed again.

"Awake at last, Mister Weasley?" An amused voice asked, startling Ron. The Headmaster himself was standing in the aisle by the foot of his bed, watching the first year closely.

"Um, yes sir." The boy answered. "How long have I been here? And are Neville and Hermione alright? What happened with the Stone-"

"Peace, my boy. Everything has turned out well." Professor Dumbledore soothed him. "All of your friends made it out in one piece, though I'm afraid young Harry will likely remain unconscious for some time."

"What? Why?"

"I'm not sure you're able to handle the full story at time, my boy, though I'm sure your friend will share it later-"

"My brother, you mean." Ron said stubbornly. He forged on, ignoring the eyebrow raised at him as well as the nervous fluttering in his stomach. "And eventually our mum's going to insist on knowing everything too - at least if I know what's coming, I can help keep her from tearing into you. Sir." He added respectively.

By then, both the Headmaster's eyebrows had gone up, and he chuckled lightly. "A fine showing of Gryffindor courage, Mister Weasley. In that case, I believe you are already familiar with the Mirror of Erised...?"

A few hours later, the rest of the family began to stir and awaken. Professor Dumbledore had departed before then, but Ron hadn't been able to go back to sleep. He spent that time mulling over what he'd learned, and what the implications were for Harry. The boy might not have been among the quickest of his classmates, but his strategic-based mind could work out numerous possibilities and options if given the time. It was what made him so good at chess; it was also what allowed him to realize that things were probably going to get more, not less, dangerous as time went on.

After his mum got through embracing the boy, he related a little of what the Headmaster had said. There was something very satisfying in seeing the concern in his mother's eyes harden to something much more scary, and immediately go marching off to track the man down. Ron's older brothers had to get ready for classes soon, but before leaving they promised to pop in and check on the first years when they could. Their dad remained in his chair halfway between Ron and Harry's beds, looking a lot more tired than the boy could ever remember seeing him.

"You managed to give us quite the scare, young man." He mentioned after a while. "You and your brother both. Maybe give a bit of advance warning next time, yeah?"

"Would you have believed us?" Ron shot back.

"...Perhaps not. But that doesn't excuse that what you two and your friends did was extremely dangerous."

They both fell silent when Madam Pomfrey came over. She checked Harry, tutted over something involving his internal energies, and then switched to Ron. The boy felt his heart sink when the woman pronounced him sufficiently recovered to return to his dorm and prepare for the day's afternoon classes.

Slipping out of the bed, Ron shot an anxious looked towards his dad. The man caught it and promised he wouldn't be leaving Harry's side until the other boy was awake as well. Relieved that his brother wouldn't have to wake up alone, Ron promptly hurried off.

Like the others, though, he'd be coming back to check on Harry as much as he were able, probably with Hermione and Neville in tow.

It ended up being days before the other boy awoke, during which time both Weasley parents took shifts keeping an eye on him. The rest of the brothers did indeed visit, bringing a vast majority of Gryffindor House's students with them. A pile of well-wishers cards and sweets began to accumulate on the bedside table, to the point of Mrs. Weasley insisting on throwing it all in a box with an Expansion Charm - there was, in her opinion, no good reason to embarrass Harry upon his first waking up.

As soon as the other boy _was_ up, though, Mr. Weasley sent a patronus up to the tower in order to inform his other sons. Harry barely had time to get through speaking with the Headmaster when a wave of anxious faces flooded through the infirmary doors. Ron and their brothers were in the lead, followed closely by Neville, Hermione, and the rest of the Quidditch team. Everyone took a turn giving him a hug or ruffling his hair, all beaming delighted at the proof that their friend was on the mend after all. Eventually, Madam Pomfrey managed to drive all but the Weasleys back out, citing loudly that Mister Potter needed his rest, after all.

Then the family got to listen, for the first time, to what all happened between their youngest son and the Dark Lord who'd tried to kill him a decade before.

By the end of it, most of them were trying to fight back worried expressions for Harry's sake, but he was having none of it.

"So he's back." The boy stated bluntly. "He doesn't have the element of surprise any more, and that means we can be ready for him. Right?"

"Double right!" The twins chorused. "We'll show old Moldy Voldy-"

"-why it's a _particularly_ bad idea-"

"-to mess with our family!" Their mum promptly burst into tears, and she went around hugging each and every single one of them. None of the boys protested this, though when Madam Pomfrey pronounced Harry fit enough to leave, they all insisted on walking back to Gryffindor Tower without their parents present. So, the family said their goodbyes, and then went their separate ways.

It wasn't long before the end of the term, after all, and they'd be seeing each other again soon enough.

-TEW-

For the end of year feast, the Great Hall had been decorated with numerous silver and green banners, and none of the five red haired boys sitting together felt like eating. Neville watched them worriedly, wondering if the brothers would perk up by the time they had to go to bed.

His thoughts were interrupted when the Headmaster stood up, calling for attention. The old wizard mentioned that, before handing over the House Cup, a few last minute points needed to be handed out. As soon as he said it, Neville felt a warm glow of anticipation light up his insides. A quick glance at the Weasley brothers showed that they were looking tentatively hopeful.

"For remaining clear and level-headed under strangling pressure, I award fifty points, to Mister Neville Longbottom." Startled whispers broke out across the hall, but no one dared interrupt Professor Dumbledore as he continued. "To Miss Hermione Granger, I award fifty points for using cool logic in the face of fire. And for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I am awarding sixty points to Mister Harry Potter."

The whispers became a mixture of startled, nervous, or else excited mutters as people tallied up the points and realized Gryffindor had just become tied with Slytherin.

"And, while it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to one's enemies, it takes even more so to stand up to one's allies and elders. For which I award ten points to Mister Ronald Weasley."

Slightly miffed he hadn't played a bigger part in pushing their point value up, Ron was nonetheless swept along in the sudden cheering at his House's table. Down the length of the hall, green became red and silver became gold, and every single Gryffindor was treating him, his brother, and their best friends like heroes.

For such a crazy first year at Hogwarts, it finished off on a great note. He couldn't wait to get home and tell Ginny all about it.

 _A/N: And that concludes Year 1! I've taken people's pleas into account, and have indeed decided to continue on with the following ones - there are already scenes and plot notes written out for key events, though I'm still trying to figure out certain details (I do not, for example, have a single clue as to how I'm going to mix up the romantic aspects of the later books, and would gladly take some suggestions as to how to proceed). I hope you all will appreciate what I come up with._

 _On another note, I've begun putting ideas together for additional 'Harry raised by someone other than the Dursleys' stories, and want to see what opinions I can get over them. So far, there's_ Into the Dead of Night, _which involves Sirius breaking out of Azkaban several years early and becoming his godson's furry protector. Another is_ Growing Up Wild, _where small, scared and abandoned Harry manages to accidentally Apparate himself to Hagrid's hut, and the half-giant (along with most of the Hogwarts staff members) proceeds to raise him on the school grounds._

 _I've also got_ Number Five, Wisteria Walk, _in which Arabella Figg was the one checking the Dursleys for Dumbledore, and after the Headmaster departs following leaving baby Harry on the front step, she steals the boy and raises him in her home. Then there's_ Hairball and Nymphikins, _where Sirius took Harry to one of the few families he could trust before taking off after Peter, resulting in the kid growing up with his Aunt Andromeda, Uncle Ted, and craziest big sister ever, Nymphadora Tonks._

 _The two that I feel have the most potential are_ Cloaked Escape _and_ One Spell Survived. _In the former, Lily escaped with her son, blowing up Voldemort in the process and convincing the Wizarding World that all the Potters are dead. In the latter, James was the one who lived, and struggles to raise Harry in the aftermath of losing his wife._

 _So, any thoughts on these? If so be sure to let me know, as your opinions will be what influence which I start posting first (but, none until the Extra Weasley is done. I can only handle so many in-depth Harry Potter stories at a time!)._

 _-Triscribe_

 _P.S. Before I forget, thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! Those really meant a lot to me, especially while waiting for Spring Break so I could go home and really celebrate it with my family._


	12. Chapter 12 (Book II)

_A/N: And we're back! I'm happy to say I've managed to write ahead several chapters for the Chamber of Secrets section, and can hopefully give you guys weekly updates for a while. Exciting, yes?_

 _And after all the great reviews for that last update, I can confidently say that once Extra Weasley is finished off, I'll begin posting for Hairball and Nymphikins, the 'Harry raised as a Tonks' story. Already, the ideas I've written out for it promise to be an interesting AU._

 _But for now, on with the show!_

 _-Triscribe_

Book II

Chapter 12

Molly was on her way up the stairs to bed when a pair of muffled yells came from one of the rooms above her. Instantly, the woman was moving at a much faster pace, bursting into Ron and Harry's room mere moments later.

The sight she found... Was rather unexpected.

Harry was stuck in a corner, looking startled and more than a little shaken. Ron was a few feet away, a sheet held in his white knuckled grip, positioned in such a way it looked as though he were preparing to throw it over something - presumably the house elf standing between them, which was gripping its ears in a manner that _had_ to be painful.

" _What_ in Merlin's name is _going on here?"_ Three pairs of shocked eyes swung in her direction, and the the elf disappeared with a soft pop. Instantly, both boys began babbling at her, the rest of the family gathering out in the hall.

"It was barmy, Mum-"

"-just showed up and started yelling at Harry-"

"-said Hogwarts wasn't safe this year-"

"-bad things going to happen-"

"-tried to make me stay at home-"

"Alright, enough!" They fell silent at her exasperated warning. "Downstairs, and then explain more slowly, please."

By the time everyone had assembled and the youngest boys had soothing cups of tea in their hands, it was a bit easier to get the story out in a more enlightening manner. Apparently, the house elf was trying to convince Harry that he had to stay home from Hogwarts, and things got a bit out of hand.

"We tried to ask him for details, but then Dobby - that's what he said his name was - would 'punish' himself for saying anything at all." Ron told them.

"And when I said I'd be fine with my brothers there, he _really_ started to go nuts." Harry added. "I tried to stop him, but that didn't go so well, so Ron was going to try and catch him in a sheet to keep the little guy from hurting himself any more." No one bothered to comment on the folly in such an action, as they were all too shaken by the bizarre event. Ginny ended up being the one to break the pensive silence.

"Why would the house elf just want _Harry_ to stay home?" She asked. "If there's really going to be something dangerous at Hogwarts, why not tell us _all_ to stay put?"

"Probably means someone's going to be targeting him directly." Percy said grimly.

"It's bound to be whoever Dobby's master is," Ron put in. "When we tried asking him about that, he wound up hitting himself over the head with the lamp."

"Poor thing." Molly couldn't help but feel sorry for the creature, no matter that it had nearly terrorized her boys - clearly this 'Dobby' came out of an environment where he was ordered to punish himself more often than not.

They continued to talk about the bizarre event for a few more minutes, but then it was late enough that Molly and Arthur insisted on sending everyone back to bed. After her usual rounds to make sure all her children were settled in, the woman returned to where her husband was sitting pensively in the kitchen.

"We need to warn Albus." Arthur said after a while. "If something dangerous really is going to be happening at Hogwarts this year, he and the rest of professors need to be on their guard."

Molly sighed, silently agreeing. After what her children had gone through the previous year, though, the thought of something even _worse_ happening was not a pleasant one.

-TEW-

Perusing the shelves in Flourish and Botts, Draco did his best to avoid the arrogant fool posing for pictures and autographs at the front of the room. Honestly, if Dumbledore was going to hire utter imbeciles like Gilderoy Lockhart for Hogwarts, then clearly the time had come for the aging Headmaster to be replaced by someone more sensible.

And then the setting became even more unbearable when a wave of red hair swarmed in through the front door. Carefully pretending to be looking through a stack of books on Runes, Draco watched the Weasley crowd out of the corner of his eye. Among them was Potter, blending in so well with his auburn locks and second-hand clothes that he would've been unnoticeable for someone not familiar with his appearance. He and the youngest of the Weasels were sniggering over the sheer ridiculousness that was Lockhart's display, something that even Draco couldn't fault them for.

Then the fame and fortune seeking idiot spotted them, and in the blink of an eye had hauled Potter up front with him, nattering on and posing for more photographs. Surprisingly, Draco found himself giving an internal cheer when the Weasley matron fired a stinging hex at Lockhart, using his pained distraction as an opportunity to pull Potter back into the confines of her family's circle.

The author clearly tried to make amends, gifting them a complete set of his autographed works, but backed off soon enough when the Weasley matron's wand never lowered. It was then that Draco spotted his father approaching the group, and the boy grew a little uneasy. All morning, the elder Malfoy had been in a foul mood over some unknown matter, and his son had no doubt _something_ was about to occur which would either make it better, or much, much worse. And sure enough, the confident condescension that Lucius delivered to the group and their muggleborn friend resulted in Arthur Weasley attacking with his fists. Draco hurried forward, concerned, only to see the massive Hagrid arrive and pull the wizards apart.

With an utterly unruffled air, Lucius deposited something back into the Weasley girl's cauldron and then began to make his way towards the shelves where Draco waited for him. To the boy's shock, his father seemed terribly calm about the whole thing, even going to far as to offer to take him to Quality Quidditch Supplies once they were done in the bookstore.

Something had indeed happened, something exceptionally positive, to have put the elder Malfoy in such a generous mood.

As to what it was, though, Draco hadn't the slightest idea.

-TEW-

"Harry! Snake duty!" Groaning, the green eyed boy got to his feet and headed outside at Ginny's call. Thanks to an incident several years before (involving the twins, Percy at his most irritating, and a box of garden snakes) the whole family knew about their second youngest member's ability to communicate with the serpents. Mrs. Weasley had nearly fainted when she found out, as Parselmouths were so rare and almost entirely practitioners of the Dark Arts. Most of the children, on the other hand, considered it to be brilliant, while Bill and their dad were content to make sure everyone kept quiet about it.

"No telling how people would interpret it, after all." The oldest of the kids had explained at the time.

Sadly, as Harry felt, speaking parseltongue just meant he was always the one called upon whenever a snake was spotted in or near the garden and needed to be removed.

"I don't think this will be one of the stubborn ones," Ginny remarked as she was joined by her brother. "Looks like it's just sunning itself." And indeed, the grey and green serpent was coiled upon one of the wide, flat stones that divided the different sections of the Burrow's back yard.

"Right, I'm on it." Crouching, Harry, got close enough to the snake for it to perk up and stare warily at him before switching languages. " _Hello there."_

" _SSSpeaker?"_ The animal blinked several times, something the boy had come to regard as a sign of startled excitement.

" _Yes, I'm a Speaker. My name is Harry."_

" _Good day, Harry! Would you care to join me? This is a very niccce rock, and there are quite a few more, as well."_

" _I'm sure it is, but I know of an even better one down by the lane. I don't mean to be rude, but would you mind switching? My mother would greatly appreciate it."_

" _Of courssse, SSSpeaker!"_ With that, the snake unwound its coils and slithered off into the grass, heading towards the boundary of the Burrow's property.

"Yeah, she was pretty easy." Quite often, when Harry asked the creatures to depart, they became rather petulant with him.

"Well, now that that's done with..." Perplexed, the boy watched as his sister cast her eyes about, before she caught his arm and pulled him further away from the house.

"Ginny? What's wrong?"

"When we got home from Diagon Alley a few days ago, I found something in my books that I hadn't bought." She told him in a low tone. "It was a blank diary, and a really nice one at that, so I figured I could just keep it for myself."

"Ginny, you know that isn't-"

"Please don't lecture me Harry, I _know_ I should've told Mum or Dad right away so thay could return it, but - it's a _magic_ diary!"

"Magic how?" He asked slowly. And so, Ginny told him of the person within the pages, who would write back to her. When Harry expressed his disbelief, she promised to show it to him, but only if it stayed their secret.

"You know how the twins get." The girl pointed out as they headed inside.

"Yeah, no explanation needed there." Once they were in Ginny's room, she reached underneath her pillow and pulled out the plain little book. It certainly didn't look like much, all told.

But the instant Harry touched it, his scar erupted into blinding pain.

 _A/N 2: Since I know a bunch of people are going to ask, I'm going to go ahead and clear this up now:_

 _Before Voldemort returned, Harry never actually came in contact with one of the proper horcruxes, did he? (At least not that I can recall, at any rate.) So, prior to the monster himself getting a physical body back, I have a theory that any bits of his soul coming in contact with one another would attempt to merge back together, or at the very least have a very bad reaction - which of course poor Harry gets the full backlash of._


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 _Once they were in Ginny's room, she reached underneath her pillow and pulled out the plain little book. It certainly didn't look like much, all told._

 _But the instant Harry touched it, his scar erupted into blinding pain._

The intensity of it died away once he backed off and lost contact with the book, but by then he'd let out a hoarse yell, one which attracted their mother's attention so fast it was almost as though she'd apparated up the stairs.

"What it is? What happened?" The woman demanded, even as Harry clutched at his scar and Ginny held the diary with shaking hands. It took a few minutes for the girl to blubber out an explanation, by which time Percy and Ron had arrived as well. Harry found himself being guided to sit on the bed, still shaking slightly from the remnants of the pain. When he was able to focus again, their mum had locked the diary away inside an unused box and gathered a softly crying Ginny into her arms.

"Easy now love, it's not your fault."

"B-but it is! I-I b-b-brought it h-home-"

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, you had no idea such a simple thing could do that to your brother, and as such you _cannot_ be held responsible for it." Their mum said firmly.

"So, what exactly happened?" Ron asked in bewilderment.

"Magic diary," offered Harry, his voice still a bit faint. "Don't think it liked me very much."

Percy snorted. "I'll say, you could barely see straight when we came in."

"Does that mean it hurt you but not Ginny?" Their other brother questioned, looking warily at the box.

"Yeah, but I dunno why..."

"Clearly it had something to do with You-Know-Who." They all turned a startled eye towards Percy, who merely sighed. "Honestly, what else could it be? Especially since it was Harry's scar that acted up whenever Quirrell looked at him last year, and that's what he was grabbing at when Ron and I go here."

-TEW-

Gilderoy sighed once more, foot tapping on the floor absently as he waited for the Headmaster to return. His nose wrinkled up once again at the absolutely deplorable taste in decoration that Dumbledore seemed to enjoy - portraits of dead Headmasters on the walls, numerous books by other people, dozens of knicknacks of no possible use littered everywhere. Really, the old man really was out of his mind if he thought any of this passed as fashionable for an office. Perhaps if Gilderoy invited an interior decorator to come by and make a few suggestions, Dumbledore would have another reason to look favorably upon him...

Just as he was wondering how long it really took someone to calm down an irate caretaker, and a squib one at that, the Floo flared and a witch Gilderoy knew he recognized from somewhere stepped out.

"Albus, I need to speak with you about- excuse me." The woman paused, spotting him, and simultaneously realizing that the Headmaster was not present.

"May I help you, dear lady?" Gilderoy blinked as she turned up her nose at him.

"While I would normally appreciate your assistance, Mister Lockhart, I'm afraid this is a matter I really must speak to Headmaster Dumbledore about." It was her cold nature that suddenly allowed Gilderoy to recognize her - the witch who'd reacted quite badly to his attempts at ingratiating himself with Harry Potter a few days before.

"I realize we may have gotten off to a rocky start in our acquaintance, madam, but I can assure you I am an expert in handling a great deal of problems." Gallantly, he offered her a seat, making a point of turning on the extra charisma that could win over the prickliest of matrons. "Now, what seems to be the trouble?"

She favored him with a disapproving air, but reluctantly pulled out a sealed box.

"There is a Dark artifact in here, which my daughter somehow came to be in possession of during our last outing to Diagon Alley." The woman gave an irritated sniff, and Gilderoy was hard pressed to retain his reassuring smile, realizing that it must have been the same day that she hexed him. "It conversed with her, without any true side effects, but then caused a rather bad reaction with my adopted son Harry this morning when he touched it. We believe it to have something to do with You-Know-Who, hence why I intend to speak to the Headmaster about the entire thing."

"Ah, I see, a booby-trap for the Boy-Who-Lived," Gilderoy put on his most knowledgeable expression, one that always made it look as though he had all the answers spread before him. "I'm sure that Albus and I will be able to determine the creator and sender, as I am, after all, quite adept at this sort of thing."

The woman appeared a bit taken aback, but there was a previously absent spark of appreciation returning to her eyes. "Well, that's, ahem- anything you and the Headmaster can accomplish would be most welcome, Mister Lockhart."

"Please, call me Gilderoy, Madam...?"

"Weasley, Molly Weasley."

"Rest assured, Madam Weasley, we'll have your son's attackers identified and handled in no time." He gave her a dazzling smile, one which served to send the witch into a halfway decent swoon, and soon enough Gilderoy was ushering her back into the Floo. The box with the supposed 'Dark artifact' was then shrunk and stuck into his pocket, just in time for Dumbledore to return through the office's main door.

"I must apologize for keeping you waiting, my dear boy - I hope it hasn't been too tiresome?"

"Not at all, Headmaster, not at all."

-TEW-

September first dawned bright and clear, heralding in a perfect day for students to make the annual journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Weasleys, as usual, were running a bit late.

"Ginny, make sure your trunk makes it in - Harry, dear, yes, both your broom and Hedwig - no Ron, the lunch I packed is still in the kitchen - Fred- sorry, George, go get Fred then - Percy, have you got Hermes? Good, alright, that's everything - twins! Hurry up! Yes, everyone in, let's go!"

By the time all her children and there things had been squared away, Molly veritably collapsed into the front passenger's seat. Arthur had to turn his head away to hide his grin.

"Don't think I don't know you're laughing at my ridiculousness over there." His wife warned him, setting the kids off giggling.

"Yes dear, sorry dear. I'll just start driving now, shall I?"

"You do that."

Fortunately, the car's flight capabilities were able to make up some of the lost time, and Arthur was able to set down just outside of London and merge with the regular traffic. He was by no means anything of a qualified driver, but unlike years previous they weren't pulled over by a muggle policeman (only a quiet Confundus charm had been able to get them out of THAT situation with enough leeway to still make it to King's Cross station on time). Soon enough, the Weasleys made it to the boundary between Platforms nine and ten with just a few minutes to spare.

Percy hurried through first, followed by the twins, then Molly and Ginny. Time was getting awful short, so Arthur motioned for his youngest sons to hurry on through ahead of him.

He certainly wasn't expecting for both Harry and Ron to crash into the suddenly sealed barrier.

"Are you two alright?" Arthur asked frantically, helping to grab up the spilled luggage.

"Ow..." Ron moaned. "I think so..."

"What happened?" Harry asked, rubbing at his sore limbs.

"Something went wrong with the gateway." Their dad stated grimly. "It's not supposed to close down like that until the train's already departed, which doesn't happen until right... now."

Both boys turned to stare aghast at the station's big clock, which had just chimed the eleventh hour.

"Oh, _no_ \- what are we supposed to do _now?"_

"Hey, easy there." Arthur smiled as reassuringly as he could. "You don't think you're the first students to miss the train, do you? I'll Floo call Professor Dumbledore to let him know what happened, and then we can apparate the both of you to Hogsmeade so you'll be able to take the carriages up with everyone else."

"Thanks, Dad."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

When Hermione caught sight of them after disembarking the train, she grabbed both boys in a bone-breakingly tight hug. "We were so _worried!"_ She exclaimed. "When the others didn't see whether or not you'd gotten on the train, and then Percy got the other Prefects to check all the compartments but they couldn't find you _either-!"_

"We're _fine_ Hermione. Honest." Harry grinned. "There was some sort of problem with the barrier at the train station, so we couldn't get through, but Mum and Dad took care of it."

They were interrupted by a shout, followed by the twins dashing up and grabbing both their younger brothers. Neither of the fourteen year olds were making much sense, both of them rambling over each other's sentences as they attempted to convey some sort of meaning towards Ron and Harry. Ginny soon joined the group, wrapping her arms around first one and then the other.

Then Percy was there, enveloping both of them into a single embrace. "If either of you ever scare us like that again..."

"We'll never be let out of the attic for the rest of our days?" Ron guessed.

"Exactly."

After making sure that their little sister was safely off with Hagrid and the rest of the first years, the five brothers headed to the carriages, joined by Hermione and Neville. Everyone wanted to know what in Merlin's name had happened at the train station, something that the boys weren't easily able to explain. One of the twins brought to elf incident from a month before, which had the lot of them considering whether or not Dobby had been involved with it.

The idea was still being discussed by the time they got up to the castle. Then, all thoughts of scheming house elves and potential danger were set aside in favor of watching the Sorting, and then enjoying the Welcoming Feast with Ginny and the other new Gryffindors. Friends knew better than to intrude on the family of redheads as they celebrated their youngest member joining her brothers, and indeed, it wasn't until the new fifth year prefects began gathering up the firsties that they allowed her away from their group. As students began departing for their respective dormitories, Ron and Harry joined up with Neville, Seamus and Dean, the boys happily swapping small stories and news from their holidays.

-TEW-

The first class session of Defense Against the Dark Arts was... interesting, to say the least. To say the most, it was an utter disaster. Most students ended up fleeing the room as the pixies ran wild, but others held their ground - namely, Harry, Ron and Hermione defended themselves as well they could while simultaneously trying to help Neville get down from where he'd been hung above them.

"Somebody get a teacher!" Hermione yelled at the last of their yearmates, dashing out the door. "One that knows what they're doing!" Fortunately, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil heard her, and immediately ran to get Professor McGonagall. They weren't the only ones: other second years scattered to the nearest classrooms, summoning Professors Flitwick, Vector and Babbling as well. Between those four, the pixie outbreak was soon curbed.

"What in Merlin's name happened here?!" McGonagall demanded as soon as it was over. The Defense classroom had been trashed beyond recognition, with desks and chairs overturned, belongings scattered, portraits ripped down and disfigured.

"Lockhart's a bloody idiot, that's what happened," Ron grumbled as he got to his feet.

"Mister Weasley..."

"Ron's right though, Professor." Harry piped up as he joined his brother. "I mean, I don't think Lockhart handled those pixies well at all. And then when they got loose, he left!"

"Only to procure my preferred Pixie Slumber Poultice!" Everyone turned to see Lockhart posing in the back doorway, holding up a spray bottle of some purple liquid. "And while I do appreciate my esteemed colleagues stepping in, their assistance was completely unnecessary - I would have swiftly had the situation well in hand."

"While leaving a group of twelve year olds to fend for themselves?" Professor McGonagall bristled indignantly.

"Well, had they followed the procedure detailed in my book, 'Sprite and Spore Surprises', then-"

"Then nothing, Professor Lockhart! I would like to speak to you about this matter with the Headmaster immediately." She waited for the suddenly worried looking Lockhart to cross the room to the opposite door, fingers clenched upon her wand.

"I'll see your students back to Gryffindor Tower, Minerva."

"Thank you Filius."

-TEW-

By the end of the first week, everyone had come to accept the statement 'Lockhart's a bloody idiot' as truth... Or at least, everyone who _wasn't_ one of his rabid fans. That group, mostly made up of lovestruck girls but a few boys as well, defended their idol furiously, even inciting a couple of small riots in the halls when other students were bemoaning his uselessness.

Hermione, fortunately, after comparing the details in the man's books to other, more reputable literary sources, also agreed with Ron's blunt words from earlier in the week. The downside of her remaining sane, however, was the fact that she still had to live in a dorm room with other girls who were very much in Lockhart's fan club, and as such the poor bookworm often had to use a privacy charm around her bed in order to avoid listening half the night to adoring sighs and mindless prattle.

"I'm going to go mad if they keep it up," she announced one morning at breakfast. The boys all gave her sympathetic looks, but didn't have anything helpful to offer.

Then next Monday, Harry unwittingly came up with a decent plan of action as the quartet headed back to Gryffindor Tower after dinner. "I know Mum used to be head over heels for this bloke as well, but at least she came to her senses after he pulled that stunt in the bookstore."

"Harry! That's brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed.

"What is?"

"We just have to come up with a way to show everyone how much of a blowhard Lockhart is - something that drives it into the heads of even his staunchest supporters."

"What are we going to do that hasn't been done?" Neville protested. "He's already demonstrated himself he's useless against even the pixies, I don't know how we can top that."

"Well, yes, but he covered his tracks afterward by pretending to have gone and gotten that potion that supposedly would have put them to sleep. No, what we need is something that forces him into a one-on-one confrontation, preferably with some sort of creature he's claimed to have already fought. Then, when he panics and tries to flee or else fails miserably, have enough witnesses on hand to see it."

"Witnesses, or photographic evidence?" Ron grinned. His green eyed brother groaned.

"No."

"Oh come on, he's not that bad-"

"The _only_ reason he isn't still trying to take pictures of me every moment of the day is because Percy threatened him with weekly detentions for the rest of the year!"

Neville and Hermione exchanged bemused glances as the redheads continued to argue. Colin Creevey, a rather over-awed first year, had been lurking around the Boy-Who-Lived with his camera ready and waiting for several days already. Interference from Percival had been all that saved his youngest brother's sanity, but even that wasn't enough to totally deter the young Gryffindor.

"Look, I'm all for catching Lockhart in the act, but I'm not about t-" Harry suddenly cut himself off, stopping in the middle of the hallway. "Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?"

" _That -_ that voice!" The other three second years watched him oddly as the the boy stared at the closest wall.

"Harry... We don't hear any voices." Neville said slowly.

"...It's gone now." Nudging his glasses up a bit higher on his nose, Harry glowered first at the empty hallway and then at his friends. "I _know_ I heard something."

"What was it?"

"A voice - something big, saying 'hungry, sso hungry' over and over."

Ron rolled his eyes and clapped the other readhead on his shoulder. "You didn't even notice the extra 's' sound you just put in there, did you?"

Harry blinked, before grinning sheepishly. "Oh. I guess that explains it."

"What explains what?" Hermione demanded.

"He can talk to snakes," Ron explained, turning in order to continue on again. "Probably just heard a big one crawling around in the pipes or something."

Both the other Gryffindors gaped at them. "...He what?" Neville asked faintly.

"I talk to snakes. In Parseltongue." Harry repeated, lips twitching into a small grin.

"But- but Harry!" Hermione protested, growing pale. "That's a Dark Wizard trait!"

"So? Do either of you really think he's got the makings of another Dark Lord?" Ron demanded. "Especially after being one of us Weasley's for all these years!"

"Well, no..."

"But others might not see it that way," Neville muttered anxiously, casting his gaze about to make sure they really were alone. "Guys, if this gets out-"

"Then we'll just tell people that the most Harry does is get the snakes to leave our garden so they don't bother Mum or the plants." Crossing his arms, Ron glared the others down. Hermione was just opening her mouth to argue the matter further when a nearby scream caught their collective attention.

 _A/N: /peeks cautiously around the corner_

 _Uhh... Hi, folks..._

 _Should I even bother bringing up school finals and Texas heat and struggles to reach locations with internet and my grandmother getting cancer and the excrutiatingly nerve-wracking road trip to bring her and her three yappy dogs down here from Virginia? Or I should just jump to the apology for taking so long?_

 _At least a few of you I'm sure have noticed my more recent postings of DC and Star Wars stories, and for those of you who didn't, well, you just found out. I admit, I went back to some other fandoms for a while, and I can't say whether this jump back into the world of Witchcraft and Wizardry will last long. But! Progress has been made. The remainer of The Extra Weasley's second year at Hogwarts has been entirely plotted out and just needs to be written. Scenes for the later years are coming together in a long line of dots, merely needing to be connected in some form of coherency, and! Other tales such as Hairball and Nymphikins and Number 5, Wisteria Walk are being simultaneously put together as well. By the end of this summer, when I return to blessedly cold, grandparent-lacking and free of rattlesnakes Colorado, there will be enough pre-prepared Harry Potter material to content all of you for several months to come._

 _Soo, does that make up for the three and a half month absence?_

 _-Tri_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 _Hermione was just opening her mouth to argue the matter further when a nearby scream caught their collective attention._

"GINNY!" Instantly, both redheaded boys were tearing off down the hallway, followed closely by their friends. A couple turns brought them upon Caretaker Filch, the youngest Weasley and a small blonde girl in Ravenclaw robes, all staring up at something on the wall with horror and concerned fascination, respectively.

"Ginny, what's wr- oh," Ron's face went a bit green as he too spotted Mrs. Norris, Filch's mangy old cat, stiff as a board and hanging from a wall sconce. The man himself was trembling, either with grief or fury, and holding tight to Ginny's shoulder.

"Lousy, blasted little- why I ought to string you blighted devils up for this-!" Before the man could go on, a group of upper year students from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff arrived on the scene as well.

"What's going on here?" Percy pushed his way to the front of the crowd, a couple other Prefects right behind him.

"Killed my little lady, they did!" Filch wailed, grabbing the other girl's shoulder as well and giving both first years a shake. "Murderers they are-!"

" _Mister_ Filch, release those girls immediately!" Professor Sprout suddenly appeared and pulled the children away from the distressed man. Ginny's brothers and their friends immediately surrounded their sister, and by extension the second girl as well, whom Harry finally recognized as Luna Lovegood.

"Ginevra, what happened?" Percy asked sternly.

"We didn't do anything! Luna and I were coming back from the library when we found Mrs. Norris like that - and the wall!" The others all blinked and looked, finally noticing the words in red painted onto the stones below the cat.

 _The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware!_

-TEW-

"It was probably just an unpleasant prank," Percy had to reassure the Gryffindors at large that evening. "Professor Sprout checked the cat, and she was only petrified, not dead. As for the writing, it was done in red paint, not blood."

After the Head of Hufflepuff House had summoned the rest of the senior teaching staff, every student was ordered to return to their dormitories as a precaution. Most had no idea what was going on, and so needed the explanation in order to keep calm. The news about the Chamber set a lot of those from magical families on edge, though quite a few muggleborns required a secondary explanation in order to understand why.

It wasn't until the crowd dispersed throughout the dorms and common room that Hermione was able to pin her friends with an anxious gleam in her eyes.

"Harry," she whispered. "When you heard that snake in the walls, how big did it sound?"

"Uh, I dunno... A lot bigger than any garden snake I've ever spoken to, that's for sure."

"Big enough to be a legendary monster?"

Ron paled as he understood what the girl was getting at. "Blimey, Hermione, you don't think he heard Slytherin's monster, so you?"

"It would make sense, since their sigil is a snake."

"Guys, we can worry about this _later,"_ Neville insisted, glancing about the crowded room. "When there aren't so many nearby ears."

Reluctantly, the others agreed, and scattered to their respective dorms.

Hermione spent a couple hours after that pouring through some of her books, trying to find anything about either the Chamber of Secrets or big serpents, before Lavender's mumbled demand that she put out the light sent the girl to bed. Neville and Ron were each awake for about as long, worried thoughts turning over in their heads before the boys finally dropped off to sleep.

Harry was awake until almost dawn. The few hours of rest that he did get were filled with visions of big snakes slithering down Hogwarts' hallways, chasing screaming students while a maniacal voice laughed in the background. He woke up exhausted and ill at ease, but shuffled through his morning routine with the other boys nonetheless.

Breakfast in the Great Hall the next morning saw a lot of chatter about the event, as well as an announcement from Lockhart that he'd be investigating the situation personally (a handful of students cheered this, while many more immediately pronounced that the entire school was doomed). Harry, sitting between Ron and Ginny, simply rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to do some more research today about the Chamber and what the monster could be," Hermione told her friends as they finished eating. "But it might also be worth asking Professor Binns about."

Ron snorted. "That barmy old ghost doesn't talk about anything but the Goblin Wars."

"Well, we'll just have to see if we can get him to switch topics for a day."

"C'mon, Ron, you know that when Hermione's on a quest for information, no one can stand in her way." Neville grinned. "Not even old Binns."

And as it turned out, he was right. Hermione got the ghostly professor to tell them what he knew of the Chamber, the monster, and the events fifty years before that led to one girl's death. Quite a few students departed from his class that day with pale faces, and by dinner Binns' stories had been spread throughout the school.

-TEW-

Thoughts of thousand year old plots and monsters went out the window when Harry was nearly killed by an out-of-control bludger during a Quidditch match.

Fred was the first to notice, and his frantic yell attracted not just George's attention but just about everyone else's too. The twins dove into action, attempting to hit the bloody thing away from their littlest brother, without much luck.

"Someone's cursed it!" George yelled to Katie as the Chaser swung past them. She nodded her understanding, before zooming off to the staff's stands for help.

In the meantime, Harry was torn between escaping his enchanted pursuer or going after the Snitch he'd just spotted across the pitch. Malfoy hadn't seen it, still enjoying the show. Making a split second decision, the Gryffindor boy steeled his nerve and started darting back and forth over the field, making it seem like he was still avoiding the bludger while really working his way closer to the golden ball. One of the other Slytherins must have seen it too, because he yelled at Malfoy to quit watching and get the ruddy Snitch. The blonde boy scrambled into action, but Harry's lead was too big.

His fist closed around the Snitch just as the bludger slammed into his arm. There was sickening _crack_ that made Harry's vision grey out for a moment, but his grip remained firm. Only a few feet from the ground at that point, he let his speed fall and just dropped to the grass.

Panting heavily, the boy only had a second's notice before the bludger flew down at him from above. Harry threw himself to one side, allowing the thing to slam into the ground hard enough to leave a crater as big as his head. Fred got there just before it could strike again, hitting the thing with all his might and cracking his bat in the process. The bludger was knocked away, but only for a moment. Hauling Harry up onto his feet, Fred pushed the younger boy behind him as the rest of their team touched down.

Fortunately, no one got rammed through, as the professors also arrived and Dumbledore was able to hold the bludger in place.

"Well," Harry said weakly, "I daresay that's been my most exciting game yet." He then handed the Snitch over to Oliver, who held it up for Madam Hooch to see.

As the Slytherins touched down and started arguing about the validity of Gryffindor's win, Harry just let himself lean into George and Fred's holds, trying not to let the pain of his broken arm set off his tears. Lockhart tried to get to him, claiming to have just the thing for shattered bones, but by then Percy and the others had gotten there as well. The sixth year prefect planted himself between Harry and the professor, thanking him but declining the offer.

"Bloody hell," Ron breathed when he saw the state of Harry's arm. "How are you not crying a storm right now?"

"Because I'm really trying not to, you daft dolt," the other redhead replied in a gasp, his voice trembling. The twins tightened their grips around him, Hermione reassured her friend that Madam Pomfrey was coming.

And sure enough, the Mediwitch soon arrived, giving Percy a grateful pat on the shoulder as she realized he'd held off Lockhart's well-intentioned but unhelpful attempt at interfering. "Alright, Mister Potter, the bone's been broken in a few spots, but it's nothing we can't get fixed in a jiffy." She first gave him a potion for the pain, then cast an immobilization charm around the arm, followed by a specialized mending spell. "Right, that ought to do the job, but I want you in my infirmary until the bone is well and truly repaired. Come along, now. And yes, your siblings may come too," she added, seeing how anxious the rest of the Weasleys were.

"We'll see you guys later." Ron reassured Hermione and Neville, who then rejoined the rest of their housemates. Six redheads followed Madam Pomfrey back through the castle, and Harry was exceedingly grateful for the company of his brothers and sister. Later, he might feel a bit embarrassed about the whole thing, but that would come after he'd calmed down some more.

An hour later, though, it turned out to be a very good thing they were all there, so that Harry had witnesses for what occurred with Dobby's second visit.

"Mister Harry Potter must not stay at Hogwarts!" All six of them jumped at the sudden squeaky voice. Across the row from their brother's bed was the scrawniest house elf any of the Weasleys had ever seen.

"You again!" Ron growled. "What do you want this time?"

"To send Harry Potter home! Hogwarts is not safe!"

Percy snorted, carefully reaching for his wand. "Well, you don't seem to think it's all that dangerous, or else you'd be telling us all to get out."

Dobby seemed to consider that for a moment, anxiously twisting the grimy pillowcase he wore. "...Perhaps Harry Potter's chosen family should go home too. Perhaps Dobby should be scaring them all away, not just Mister Harry Potter..."

"Whoa, hold on, _scare_ us away?" Percy's eyes grew wide. "You. You were the one to set that bludger on Harry this morning, weren't you?" Fred and George visibly tensed at that, as Ginny clambered up onto the bed with Harry in order to hold onto him.

"Yes, Dobby did, hoping to convince Harry Potter to leave before the true danger gets worse!" The elf wailed.

"What danger?"

"Danger within Mister Harry Potter's family, but then it went elsewhere and Dobby does not know where to find it!"

"'It'?" Ron asked, baffled. "What's 'it'?"

Dobby didn't respond to the question, instead banging his head against the metal railing at the base of the bed he stood upon.

"Stop!" Harry and Ginny called out, both horrified.

" _What_ is going on in here?!" Madam Pomfrey burst out of her office, freezing when she saw Dobby for the split second before he vanished.

"Madam, may I please use your Floo for a quick firecall?" Percy asked, his voice tense. "I need to inform our parents that the crazy house elf came back."

-TEW-

After hearing Percy's report, Arthur and Molly both insisted on coming through. While Molly went to assure herself that each and every one of her children was truly alright, her husband and sixteen year old son hurried through the school to the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore was surprised that a strange elf had visited the Weasley family, and Harry in particular, twice to warn of danger at Hogwarts. He grew grave when Percy explained that Dobby was the one responsible for sending the bludger after Harry, followed by Arthur suggesting that the house elf might also have been responsible for sealing the train platform barrier on his youngest boys at the start of term.

The Headmaster told them that no real progress had yet been made on discovering the Chamber's whereabouts, but promised that he intended to do everything in his power to prevent any serious tragedies from occurring.

Still uneasy, Arthur nonetheless departed with his son, and the two made their way back to the infirmary.

"I'm worried, Dad," Percy said at one point. "I don't know if I can keep the others safe or not."

Sighing, his father wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders. "All I can say, Perce, is try to make them stay together even if you aren't around. We don't know that this so-called danger is after Harry or anyone else in particular, so hopefully there'll be safety in numbers."

"That's... Not entirely reassuring, Dad."

"Sorry. Best I can offer right now."

"Does the Ministry know about the Chamber yet?"

"I don't know - not my department, of course, though I suppose I can ask. Might get in touch with Moody, see if he'll put off retirement another year in order to make sure something's done about the situation here."

Percy nodded, heart sinking as he realized that truly was the best his dad could do.

 **IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR PEOPLE WHO PROVIDED INPUT ON THE NEXT HP STORY I PLAN TO POST**

...I'm going to cheat.

Now now, before anyone puts up a fuss, here's what I'm proposing:

Tomorrow, I'm going to put up the prologues/first chapters for six other Harry Potter tales. Every Thursday from now until the end of the year, I'll be updating ONE of those stories. We're going to start out following the order in which I will list them for you, but after _that,_ update patterns will be according to which ones get the most reviews. In a seven week period, _every story will be updated._ It's just the order that will get tweaked - trust me, I've got this all plotted out on my calendar. I've also got enough consecutive pre-written material to last until January, and want to go ahead and start getting it out there for you guys to enjoy. The reason I'm going to follow through with this plan, though, is because if I try to start just one story at a time and limit myself on posting chapters for it alone until it's done, circumstances will ultimately work against me and there will be gaps spanning multiple months between updates, as some of you long-term readers here with the Extra Weasley have already, sadly, experienced. With this new system, though, each story is guaranteed to update by a particular point in time. Won't that make for a nice change?

And here we are, the Next Round of HP:

-The Extra Weasley, in which... well, you guys already know. Weasley chaos times ten.

-Hairball and Nymphikins, in which Harry is the scariest Slytherin ever to give the Weasley twins pause, but what else do you expect from the honorary Tonks who grew up spoiled by his dogfather?

-Number 5 Wisteria Walk, in which there are unusual friendships formed before Hogwarts, spellcrafting from our favorite young hero, and cats. Lots and lots of cats...

-Growing Up Wild, in which Rubeus Hagrid and the teaching staff of Hogwarts work together to raise Harry on the school grounds, without Headmaster Dumbledore's knowledge.

-Cloaked Escape, in which Lily Evans Potter is the most epic BAMF ever to wield a soulsword or teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts.

-One Spell Survived, in which James Potter deals with grief, guilt, and renegade Death Eaters trying to murder his son far too soon after his wife's death than is healthy for them.

-Into the Dead of Night, in which Ministry of Magic officials are confused. "What do you mean, Harry Potter ran away from his relatives over the life of a dog? And who in Merlin's name approved his being placed with muggles in the first place?!"

I hope you all will stop back in tomorrow to check these out, and that you'll enjoy a few enough to return in future!

-Triscribe


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mrs. Norris, as it turned out, was just the start.

Around the end of November, a Hufflepuff second year by the name of Roger Malone was found standing petrified in a hallway, staring fearfully through the equally frozen ghost the Fat Friar. While offering their condolences to the boy's dormmates, Harry got from Justin Finch-Fletchley that Roger was a muggleborn.

"Which, when we think about it, isn't a good sign." He grimly told the others that night.

Afterward saw the quartet of Gryffindors buckle down with research, trying to learn all they could about what particular circumstances surrounded the original opening of the Chamber when not studying or completing assignments. Ginny joined in from time to time, along with her new friend Colin Creevey, who seemed to constantly be in awe of the girl's adopted brother. She'd evidently warned him beforehand not to be too pushy, though, as it took several days for the eleven year to break down and ask Harry for an autographed picture. (He agreed, on the condition that it be a photograph of all the Weasley siblings, and that they get copies.)

There wasn't any real progress on the Chamber front, until what was supposed to be a regular visit with one of their good friends got a bit out of hand.

"Hagrid, do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" As soon as the words were out of Ron's mouth, he regretted them. The huge man had stiffened where he stood, face caught between horror, shame and fury.

"I don't know a thing 'bout that blasted Chamber!" Hagrid said in a strained voice. "And if you kids know what's good fer ya, y' won't ask anythin' else 'bout it, either!" He then ushered all four of them out the door, apparently cutting their tea time short.

"But-"

"We're sorry, Hagrid," Hermione swiftly jumped in, before Ron could put his foot in it again. "We didn't mean anything by it. It's just, anything we can use to keep ourselves and the other students safe, that would be important, right?"

The groundskeeper paused. He looked left and right, double checking that they were alone. Finally, he whispered, "The spiders."

"Huh?"

"Follow the spiders." And with that, Hagrid shut the door.

-TEW-

Christmas that year came as a welcome relief to the members of the Weasley household, as everyone got to regroup at the Burrow and put thoughts of muggleborn-hunting monsters and mad house elves out of their thoughts. Bill came home for a few days as well, firstly to see how everyone was doing with his own eyes, and secondly to put up a ward his dad had asked for - one that would keep out any house elves not belonging to the family in residence.

Several of his younger siblings let out sighs of relief once it was in place.

There was the usual chaos of the season, in addition to both Neville and Hermione coming over for visits and pick-up Quidditch matches. Arthur was often kept busy at work, too, leaving Molly alone for great stretches of the day to try and keep things under control. Her efforts were... _moderately_ successful.

"TWINS!"

Snickering as his mum bellowed the word now synonymous with 'trouble' in their household, Bill headed upstairs to check on his little brothers and their visiting friends. He only gave a quick knock at the door, with hardly a pause before opening it up. As such, he caught the quartet of twelve year olds right as they were attempting to hide several books and sheets of parchment.

"Um." Harry's eyes flickered around his group before looking back towards his oldest brother. "Hi, Bill! Did you need something?"

"What are you lot up to?"

"Nothing!" Both Harry and Ron yelped.

"Uh-huh. Guess what, I don't believe Fred and George when they say that, and I don't believe you two either. C'mon, spill."

"We're researching wizarding lineages to try and figure out who the Heir of Slytherin is," Neville finally admitted, when it didn't look like any of the others were about to speak up.

"Really? None of you felt like this could wait until you got back to school?"

"Well..."

Bill sighed, entering the bedroom fully and shutting the door behind him. "Alright. Show me what you've got so far."

-TEW-

"So," Harry started when the friends gathered in a compartment for the train trip back to school. "The lineage research didn't get us anywhere, since Slytherin's line looked to finish off with the Gaunts. And since looking into what happened with the Chamber fifty years ago hasn't been productive either, what about monster research?"

"I wasn't able to find anything in the books at Longbottom Manor," Neville sighed. "And I think I might have scared Gran a bit with how much time I spent in there."

Ron snorted. "You actually managed to _scare_ that woman?"

"Well, looking up the monster ought to be easier once we're back at school, and have access to the Hogwarts library again." Hermione cut over the boys before Neville or Ron could say anything else.

"We might want to work up some kind of a schedule, though, to make sure we don't risk being caught in the halls when the monster might be around." Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, I'd rather avoid being eaten by a giant snake."

"Do you think we should let McGonagall know what we know?"

"After her reaction to our research last year, Nev? We're better off doing this on our own."

-TEW-

A few days into the new term, the quartet got pulled into an altercation just before dinner with Malfoy, one that started with Hermione being called a mudblood. Ron and Harry promptly fired off jinxes in retaliation, only for the blonde pest to duck and let them each hit Crabbe and Goyle instead. Then Malfoy shot off a hex of his own, which hit poor Neville when he jumped in front of Hermione. McGonagall showed up then and put a stop to it all, ordering all three boys to go to the Infirmary to have their various afflictions dealt with - Crabbe was throwing up slugs, Goyle had bats flying out his nose and assaulting his face, while Neville's ears were growing steadily larger by the minute. None of his friends were able to visit the boy after their meal, either, as their Head of House gave Harry and Ron an immediate detention for that evening, while Percy insisted Hermione return to Gryffindor Tower for her own safety.

The one upside of the fight's aftermath was that Malfoy got an entire week of detention, doing much worse than writing lines for a couple hours.

Unfortunately, while the oldest Weasley kept a close eye on Hermione for the sake of his younger brothers, he managed to completely lose track of another, more personal charge...

-TEW-

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Colin asked as he and Ginny walked down the hall towards the Infirmary.

"The others are going to want to make sure Neville's alright, especially since Madam Pomfrey hasn't released him yet," the red haired girl assured him.

"Well, alright. But, um, Ginny?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind holding my camera for a minute? I need to, uh..." Realizing that her friend was twitching and looking back towards the bathroom they'd just passed, Ginny snorted. And held out her hand.

Grateful, Colin carefully placed his beloved camera in her grip, before bolting in order to relieve himself. Chuckling, Ginny went to stand by the wall while she waited. As the seconds ticked by, she curiously lifted the muggle device up in order to study it more closely.

-TEW-

Neville got back to Gryffindor Tower shortly after Ron and Harry did, looking extremely nervous about something.

"Glad to see you're back to normal, Nev!" Harry said cheerfully. His expression faded when the other boy didn't respond in kind. "Something wrong?"

"Y-yeah, you c-could say that..." Neville swallowed, his eyes remaining glued to the floor. "Th-there was another student, brought to the infirmary. A-another p-petrification victim."

When he didn't go on, the others exchanged wary glances. "Well? Who was it, then?" Ron demanded uneasily.

"...It was Ginny."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

For a month after Ginny was petrified, none of the Weasley brothers could be called anything other than despondent - even the twins had dropped down to a mere two or three paltry pranks a week. Percy felt the worst, as it had been his primary responsibility to keep the girl out of trouble, the same duty he had towards _all_ his younger siblings.

And he'd failed in that duty quite spectacularly.

None of the others blamed him, of course, and each harbored a fair amount of guilt for themselves, but Percy knew he was the most at fault. And so, he would find himself keeping a much closer eye on the second years that before, knowing that after last year's dramatic adventure the four of them were quite willing to enter dangerous situations if they thought it was necessary.

And so, on a random weekday evening in the Gryffindor common room, he found himself within earshot when his youngest brother mentioned a startling piece of information.

"Whoa, back up," Percy frowned, joining the group. "Are you saying that _all_ the monster's victims have seen it through a reflection of some sort? And that it's a kind of serpent?"

"That's right." Harry frowned as his elder brother paled.

"Basilisk."

Neville and Ron snapped their heads up in surprise, as Hermione gasped with recognition. "Of course! The beast whose very gaze if deadly met straight on-"

"-But not if seen through a mirror." The prefect said grimly. "Alright, that tears it. The students _cannot_ remain in a castle where a basilisk is moving about. You four stay here, I'm going to tell the professors."

"But Perce! What about the monster?" Ron protested.

"Don't worry, I'll take a mirror with me to check around corners. But even if I don't come back or the staff don't start an evacuation, none of you are to leave this tower until morning, is that clear?" Percy stared them all down, and one by one the children nodded unhappily. They all stood by as the oldest of the Weasley brothers headed out the portrait hole, worrying about his safety.

For Percy's part, his fear was tamped down under a steady layer of determination. He went along his path carefully, but with as much haste as was possible - his mum would expect no less of the son currently responsible for looking after his younger siblings, even if he'd dismally failed when it came to Ginny. Bill and Charlie would expect this of him, too, and Percy wasn't about to let them down.

It was these feelings of familial duty that temporarily blocked his common sense upon turning down another corridor and spotting one of the teaching staff at the other end.

"Professor! Professor Lockhart, we've figured out what Slytherin's monster is!"

-TEW-

Unfortunately for the quartet of second years, Fred and George came downstairs just as they'd been debating whether to go after Percy or not. Once the situation had been explained to the twins, they insisted on sitting with the younger students while waiting for their big brother to return.

"I just wish we knew whether he was okay or not..." Harry murmured at one point. Fred shot a look at George, who reluctantly nodded and vanished upstairs. He returned a few minutes later with a worn-out piece of parchment in his hand.

"Now, Ronniekins and Harrison will recognize this, as we've often claimed it to be the secret of our success," the twin pronounced, unfolding the parchment a bit and holding it forward. "But they've never known _why."_

As one, the twins tapped their wands to the center of the page and spoke in unison: "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The younger students all gasped as ink spread across the parchment, first spelling out 'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs proudly present the Marauder's Map', and then transforming into a map of Hogwarts - complete with little markers of different people throughout the castle.

"Wicked," Ron breathed, noting where he and the others all sat in Gryffindor Tower. "And there's Percy!"

Indeed, their elder brother was shown to be moving quickly through the halls on his way to the Headmaster's office. All of a sudden, though, he turned a corner and approached a pair of footsteps labelled 'Gilderoy Lockhart'.

"Oh, bloody hell." No one bothered to chastise Harry on his language, as they were all internally bemoaning the same thing. Percy stopped beside the crackpot professor, clearly talking to him. Then they started walking away.

"Where in the world...?" Hermione muttered, concerned. "Why- that's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!" Lockhart and Percy entered the lavatory, went up to one of the walls... And disappeared from the map.

"Hey!"

"What happened?"

"Twins!"

"Don't look at us!" Fred and George yelped. "The map's supposed to show secret passages-"

"-but if it's not complete, that's not our fault!"

"But why would Lockhart go there at all? And why did Percy follow him?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, no," Neville breathed, eyes wide. "Guys... What if _Lockhart's_ been the one opening the Chamber?"

They all went silent at that, adding up potential signs and considering the implications.

"Right," Fred suddenly declared. "You lot stay here, we're going to get McGonagall."

"WHAT!" Four voices rang out in protest. "What's to stop you both from running into trouble too?" Harry demanded.

" _We'll_ have the map with us," George assumed them. "And can keep away from any suspicious types. We'll also be able to go straight to the nearest teacher we can trust."

The kids were unable to dissuade them, so the twins promptly headed out. Harry sent a look towards his brother and friends.

"I don't know about you lot," he said. "But I'm not about to wait for a teacher when Perce could be in serious danger."

"Me either." Ron agreed, stepping forward to clap the other redhead on the shoulder.

"It's just like last year," Neville added, joining them. "We've got the chance to do something important, we _ought_ to do it, especially if others might not arrive in time." The three of them looked back at Hermione, who had her arms folded.

"Well, now that you boys have that out of the way, are we going to go get Percy or not?" She pushed past them to the portrait, ignoring her friends' broad grins.

-TEW-

Minerva frowned as she heard the sound of frantic knocking at her office door. The woman had just been about to return to her private quarters for the evening, and wondered what was going on that a student so desperately needed to get her attention.

The dual looks of concern on Fred and George Weasley's faces had Minerva closing her eyes with a sigh. "What's happened this time?"

-TEW-

"Hello, Myrtle," Neville panted as he and the others finally arrived at their destination. "Did you see a professor and a prefect come in here a little while ago?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Hermione immediately clapped a hand over both Ron and Harry's mouths, stopping the two redheads from angrily demanding that the ghost girl give a straight answer.

Fortunately, Neville had a bit more patience, and was able to coax not just an affirmative from Myrtle, but also an explanation about her own death, courtesy of the basilisk. As the four second years turned to hunting around the area she indicated, they tried not to think about Percy becoming a meal for the very same creature.

"Here!" Ron suddenly called out. "There's a marking on this sink - I'm pretty sure it's a snake."

"Makes sense, but how do we get it to open?" Even as he asked the question, Harry realized that the other three were all looking at him expectantly. "What?"

"Well, you _are_ the parselmouth, mate."

"Oh, right." Moving forward in order to get a look at the snake marking, Harry concentrated on all the conversations he'd had with garden snakes over the years before speaking a single word. " _Open."_

The sink moved.

A few moments later, the kids were all staring down a pitch-black shaft. "Don't worry," Myrtle suddenly piped up from behind Neville, startling the boy so much he nearly jumped into the hole. "If any of you die down there you're always welcome to come back up and share the bathroom with me."

"That's, erm, awfully decent of you, Myrtle." Harry replied. "Come on, guys. Let's go get Percy."

-TEW-

When Minerva arrived at the lavatory indicated by Misters Weasley, she had Albus, Filius, Poppy, Arthur and Molly all in tow. Unfortunately, there was no sign of any of entrance to a secret basilisk's lair, nor any indication at all that someone had been there before them.

"Aw, look at Professor Dumbledore, come too late again." Their heads all whipped up at the words, to see Moaning Myrtle hovering near the ceiling with a look of distaste.

"My dear Miss Warren," Albus said kindly. "Could you by any chance tell us if a man and student came in here earlier this evening?"

Myrtle sniffed. "You're not the first person to ask me that tonight. I don't see why I should answer the same question twice, especially since it won't do you any good anyway."

"What are you talking about, Myrtle?" Minerva asked, her eyes narrowing. She already had a fairly good idea of who else likely came to the bathroom, looking for Prefect Weasley and Lockhart.

"The little ones asked me, and found the door to get in, but I doubt any of you can do the same."

"Little ones?" Molly's voice quivered. "Four little ones? Second years?"

"That's them!"

The Weasley matron's knees gave out, forcing her husband to catch the woman before she collapsed outright. Minerva couldn't fault Molly's reaction, because the professor herself was having a hard time avoiding panic.

Losing one student to whatever horrors lay in the Chamber of Secrets was one thing - but to know that four younger years had followed him there was terrifying.

"How did they get in, Miss Warren?" Albus demanded, in a strained tone. "Please, you must tell us."

"They found the sink, and little Harry hissed, and it opened up."

"Hissed?"

"Parseltongue," Arthur murmured, eyes widening. "He must have spoken in Parseltongue. None of the rest of us can do that - we won't be able to get it open."

Their faces all grew ashen, as Myrtle hummed above them. "Like I said, you're too late."

 _A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope my fellow Americans had a good day of feasting, while everyone else got to enjoy whatever else happened today. I'd wanted to update all seven of my HP Round Table tales today, but with only half an hour to go until my midnight that might not happen. Ah, well. Four out of seven ain't bad, and I might make more progress before it becomes officially Friday... Anywho, I do hope you all like this wonderfully evil cliffhanger of mine, muahahahaha! New Extra Weasley chapter next Thursday, so be sure to check back then for the big showdown in the Chamber of Secrets!_

 _-Tri_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Before going much further than the tunnel exit and several piles of small bones, Hermione made sure to give each of her friends one of the handheld mirrors she'd been carrying around. They weren't much, but might be something of a help if they did actually come up upon the basilisk.

On through the darkness, the quartet continued, straining all their senses for any sign of the basilisk, the missing Prefect, or the evil teacher. Ron wondered in the back of his mind if every Defense teacher they had would turn out to be a bad guy in disguise.

Finally, they rounded a turn in the passageway and came to a large, ornate wall, decorated with a man's bust and several stone snakes.

"Looks like you're up again, mate," Neville whispered. Harry took a deep breath, nodded, and spoke to the wall in Parseltongue.

" _Open up."_

Oh so slowly, the snakes began to shift position, mechanisms turning within the stonework until a circular door swung open. Gulping, the twelve year olds approached together, peering into the dimness beyond before entering.

A large room stretched out before them, its exact dimensions unknown beyond the lines of columns. At the far end of the courtyard area they'd entered was another statue of the same man who'd been on the door - and halfway there were the prone forms of Percy and Lockhart.

"PERCE!" Both Ron and Harry darted forward, Hermione and Neville only a few steps behind. They all ignored their professor for the time being, instead focusing on the older Weasley.

"Is he...?"

"Unconscious," Harry answered Neville in relief. "But he's alive."

"Not for much longer, I'm afraid." The new voice startled them all badly, and the second years whipped their heads around to see a teenager standing beside Lockhart. Except, he wasn't quite all there. A Slytherin Prefect who looked to be hovering somewhere between ghost and living being status.

"Who in Merlin's name are you?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, please forgive my manners; my name is Tom Riddle. And you four are, I believe, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter." He started to sneer when listing their names, an expression that grew more pronounced when he shifted his gaze to Harry.

"What did you do to our brother?" The green-eyed boy asked.

"A simple Imperius, to keep him from running off and revealing my secret."

"And Lockhart?"

"Why, he's the one I have to thank for my imminent resurrection - you see, dear deluded Gilderoy here wanted to prove so badly he could be a competent combatant against all things Dark. As I led him around by the nose with tips and ideas for cementing his prowess, I was also siphoning energy from his magical core. Soon, the transfer will be complete-"

"Bloody hell!" Ron suddenly blurted, having stood up and noticed an object on the ground beside Lockhart. "It's that ruddy diary Ginny brought home last summer!"

"It is?" His brother got up as well, and glared at the offensive item. "I _knew_ that stupid thing was no good."

The partially see-through Tom folded his arms. " _If_ you don't mind."

"Oh, stick a sock in it mate, we don't care about you stealing Lockhart's core." He paused. "Do we?"

"Yes, Ron, we do. Because if his magical core is completely drained of power, it'll kill him." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh."

"Children," Tom sighed. "Ah, well. At least there are several of you. You'll make a lovely appetizer for my pet."

"What pet?" Neville asked nervously. In answer, their new adversary grinned, and promptly spoke in Parseltongue.

"Oh, hang it all," Harry said as he turned to look at the statue carved into the far wall. It's mouth was opening, and he knew what had to be about to come out of it. "Mirrors!"

Tom laughed when he saw the little ones each of them had. "Those won't do you much good, children!"

Even he was taken aback, though, when flames exploded in the center of the hall.

A breath-taking red and gold phoenix burst into being, with a raggedy bundle of old cloth clutched in its talons. The bird cried out a melodic screech, dropping the cloth and zeroing in on the emerging basilisk. Before the massive serpent could distinguish what was happening, the phoenix had gouged out one eye and started clawing at the other.

"Brilliant!" Ron shouted with a grin. Hermione, meanwhile, took a step forward with her hand extended, easily catching what was revealed to be the Sorting Hat. It sat heavily in her grip, more so than a metal blade ought to. With a moment of intuition she would later be unable to explain, Hermione reached into the piece of ragged headgear.

And pulled out a sword.

-TEW-

" _EGO PRAECIPIO TIBI, UT APERIAS!"_ Within Moaning Myrtle's lavatory, every stall door flew open, every faucet began spewing water, but the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets refused to reveal itself. Frowning, Dumbledore poked his wand forward to inspect the magic he was trying to blast through, while the other people in the room recovered themselves from his intense spellcasting.

"I mean no offense, Albus," Filius spoke up as he dusted himself off. "But those wards were laced into the stonework by Salazar Slytherin himself more than a thousand years ago, and are powered by Hogwarts as well - I don't think you're going to be able to get through them."

"Perhaps, old friend," the Headmaster replied, still intent on the obstacle before him. "Compared to the alternative of simply waiting for a sign that may not come, however, I'm inclined to keep trying."

"Maybe if we all tried together...?" Arthur started to suggest, only for everyone to jump when the stones before them began to rumble. As the stunned adults watched, the sink rose up several inches and moved aside under its own power, leaving a plunging tunnel open before them.

"Oh, my word," Poppy murmured. She and the others started to lean forward, but jumped again as a phoenix soared up through the entrance.

"Fawkes!" Dumbledore stretched out an arm for his familiar to land on, smiling hopefully. "Did you find the children?"

In answer, the majestic bird trilled at him, before extending something in his talon for the Headmaster to take. From what the others could see, it was some sort of small book, with a hole in the center and ink stains as if it had bled from a stab wound.

"Mum? Dad?"

Both Weasleys whipped around at the sound of their titles, and Molly outright shrieked at the sight of the grime-covered and bloody face peering up at her. "Harry! Dear Merlin, are you alright? What happened? Where are your brothers and the others?" She carried on with her frantic questions, even as Arthur pulled his adopted son from the tunnel and let Poppy have a look at him.

"I'm fine, we found the Chamber and everything in it, the others are still down there 'cause Percy's awake but groggy, Hermione got stabbed by one of the basilisk's fangs when she was killing it but Fawkes healed her but we decided she shouldn't move just yet, and Lockhart's still unconscious and we couldn't move him by ourselves and Ron and Neville stayed behind to keep an eye on them all while I came to find some help and make sure the twins aren't panicking." He blinked at the several gobsmacked expressions being directed towards him. "What?"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"So, let me see if I've got this straight," Ginny said slowly. "I got petrified. You all felt bad. You stepped up research into Slytherin's monster, and because he was keeping an extra close eye on Harry and Ron, Percy found out. He realized the monster was a basilisk, went to tell the Headmaster, only to be ambushed by Lockhart, who was being possessed by that old diary I'd gotten last summer, which turned out to have a piece of You-Know-Who's soul inside it."

"Right so far," Neville nodded.

"You all saw the ambush happen thanks to a special map the twins have, and when _they_ went to get a teacher you four decided to go after Percy yourselves. You wound up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Harry opened up a secret door by speaking parseltongue, and then you all jumped down a chute that took you to the Chamber of Secrets."

"More or less, yeah," Ron agreed.

"Inside the Chamber, you found both Percy and Lockhart out cold, and met a shade of the Dark Lord's younger self, Tom, who called out the basilisk. The Headmaster's phoenix familiar showed up, blinding the big old snake and giving Hermione the Sorting Hat, out of which she pulled the Sword of Gryffindor?"

"She sure did!" Harry grinned.

"Then Neville and Ron dragged Percy and Lockhart out of the way, while you tried to destroy the diary and Hermione distracted the basilisk. She tripped, it nearly ate her, but then she stabbed the sword up into its brain, getting bitten by a tooth in the process. Harry yanked it out of her arm, and used the thing to stab the diary while Fawkes cried on Hermione's wound, healing her. Tom disappeared, Percy woke up, and then Harry went back to the chute entrance where he found Mum, Dad, the Headmaster and a couple professors."

"And we all got the lecture a lifetime," Hermione said with a grimace.

Ginny simply stared at the four of them, all sitting around her infirmary bed with the rest of the Weasley family gathered nearby. "...You're all barmy. You know that, right?"

"It's becoming more and more apparent every year, yeah." The others snickered at Neville's words, though they became more serious again once Professor McGonagall was seen heading their way.

"Well!" She announced upon reaching the group. "Now that Miss Weasley seems to be coherent once more, Madam Pomfrey is ready to release her back to school life. I do hope you four are prepared and willing to help her catch up on missed lessons, as that's been the decided punishment for your, _excursion,_ shall we say."

"We're ready, professor!" Hermione promised. "I've already gotten out my notes from last year, and made a revising schedule, and we'll have Ginny all caught up in no time!"

The first year girl promptly leaned over to latch onto her nearest brother's arm. "Save meee!" Harry chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"There's no being saved from Hermione's clutches, Gin. Sorry," he added.

"No you're not." She stuck her tongue out at him, and kicked Ron for his cackling as well.

That afternoon, all the petrification victims were cured and pronounced well enough to leave the infirmary. Filch spent a good half hour fussing over his 'precious fuzzy-wuzzy pretty-kitty', Justin Finch-Fletchley was eagerly welcomed back by his fellow Hufflepuffs, and Ginny nearly fell over from the full-body tackle she received from a profusely apologizing Colin Creevey. Her brothers simply rolled their eyes before prying him off, smiling all the while.

Lockhart, though well on his way to a physical recovery, was having a much harder time dealing with the repercussions of his spending most of the year under the influence of a Dark Artifact and being rescued from an untimely end by a group of four twelve year olds. He'd resigned from his position as DADA professor, and rumors claimed that once the man was released from St. Mungo's, he'd be going into retirement.

Most in Hogwarts were glad to be rid of him, and stubbornly ignored the ones who weren't.

Headmaster Dumbledore took over Defense classes for the couple remaining months of the school year, which the students all appreciated. He did a decent job of summing up all they were _supposed_ to have learned that year, as well as mentioning resources they could use to prepare for end-of-year exams.

While it was not widely known that a basilisk had been Slytherin's monster, Molly Weasley made damn sure the Headmaster didn't cover up that knowledge completely. At her insistence, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was notified, and Harry got to spend a Saturday down in the Chamber with a team of Aurors, using parseltongue to check for more doors or compartments to make sure no basilisk eggs were present. Quite a few of the grown wizards and witches, after seeing the sheer size of the monster, were eager to get a glimpse of Hermione, something she had a hard time getting used to.

"Fame's a terrible thing," Harry told her after the fourth such occasion when an Auror insisted on shaking her hand. "But it does die down after a while, I've found."

"Thank Merlin for that!"

After a meeting of the Board of Governors, several of them insisted on meeting the children who'd gone down to the Chamber too, and it was then that Neville overheard something rather important.

The seconds years were gathered together in an unused office, along with Arthur, Molly, and Augusta Longbottom to receive handshakes and gratitude from the school officials. Lucius Malfoy, as expected, forewent the physical contact in favor of treating them all to rather disdainful expressions along with his congratulations, before being the first to leave the room. Standing closer to the door than his friends, Neville was the only one to hear the man call for someone. As soon as he was able, the boy leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear, "Isn't 'Dobby' the name of that house elf that kept bothering you guys all year?"

Startled, the redhead nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Because Mister Malfoy just summoned him."

-TEW-

Scowling, Lucius stalked his way towards the main doors of the castle. How his plan to simultaneously bring shame to the Weasley clan and stir up the school had gone wrong, the man couldn't fathom. Most likely, it would come back to whatever had caused the diary to go from the youngest of Arthur Weasley's brood to that fool of an author...

"Malfoy!"

Speak of the devil.

Weasley was hurrying after him, the Potter boy right on his heels. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Lucius paused, not noticing how nervous Dobby suddenly became beside him.

"Something on your mind, Weasley?" He drawled as soon as the approaching pair had caught up. "Looking to borrow money to properly clothe your offspring, perhaps?"

The red-haired man increased his pace, and before Lucius had a chance to draw his wand, a solid fist was slammed into his jaw. A second hit him in the stomach, sending the blonde pureblood stumbling back. Weasley visibly restrained himself then, holding his ground while the boy came to stand beside him.

" _That,_ was for my _daughter,_ you arrogant _bastard,"_ his attacked spat. "For _all_ the children _you_ put at _risk_ with that cursed _diary!"_

"I'm, sure," Lucius coughed, struggling to straighten up. "I haven't, the faintest notion, of what you're talking about."

"This, Mister Malfoy." Caught by surprise, Lucius caught the object thrown at his face, grimacing with disgust when he realized it was the stabbed and stained diary.

"As if I should care about such a thing." He tossed it over to Dobby without a second thought. "Now, if you'd care to wait, Weasley, I'll send the aurors along shortly to arrest you for assault-"

"Master..." Sneering, Lucius turned to look as his pathetic house elf, ready to snap at the lowly creature for interrupting him.

Then he noticed the torn black sock Dobby was holding, along with the opened diary.

-TEW-

"Of all the idiotic, Merlin-blasted, foolish, absolutely _pig-headed_ things to do, Arthur-!"

"I know love, but it was worth it." Arthur wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her into a tight hug. "Besides, as soon as Dobby had Harry's sock and was free, he sent that blonde ponce on his way just fine."

"...I do admit, I wish I'd been there to see that." Molly's muffled words made him grin.

When they pulled apart, the pair glanced over to where their collection of children were buzzing around the house elf, telling him all about their home and their other brothers and how he'd love working there, and would Mister Dobby rather have the attic for his quarters or a separate shed outside the house, and was he sure they couldn't make it two sickles a month instead of just one?

-TEW-

(At an earlier point in time that could not be fit into this chapter...)

" _What do you mean a MUDBLOOD killed Slytherin's monster?!"_ A blonde twelve year old shrieked.


	20. Chapter 20 (Book III)

Chapter 20

"Wow!"

"Brilliant!"

"You've actually been inside them, Bill? Do we get to go in too?"

The oldest Weasley boy chuckled, ruffling his baby sister's hair as she stared eagerly up at the Egyptian Pyramids. "Yes, I've been inside, Ginny, and no, you won't get to unless you become a certified Curse Breaker."

"I'll do it! I'll study hard and be just as good of one as you!"

"Sounds like a plan, little sis," Fred piped up.

"But you probably don't want to go mentioning it to Mum!" George added, which got a laugh out of Harry and Ron.

"Yeah, Mum would go absolutely starkers if she lost you to the same 'dangerous lifestyle' as Bill," the latter grinned.

"It's not as dangerous as Charlie's job!" Bill protested, defending his chosen profession.

"I beg to differ! At least with dragons, you can see the danger coming - mucking about in dark tunnels filled with ancient curses, it's a wonder you can tell when you've gone and buggered something at all!" Charlie's response set all the Weasley kids off laughing, even Percy.

The eight of them were taking a morning walk around Bill's current worksite while their parents had a nice lie-in back at the hotel. Everybody wore clothing in the local styles, even Scabbers, for whom Bill had transfigured a scrap bit of cloth into a mini-sunhat. The outfits made quite a difference, as even early morning sunlight was causing a fair bit of heat to reflect up from the surrounding desert.

After a tense school year, the relaxing family vacation was just what everyone needed to let some stress out. At first, plans had simply been for Bill and Charlie to get a little time off and come join the rest of the Weasleys at a seaside resort still on British soil, but that was before their dad won a newspaper contest and received a fairly large monetary first prize. Then, some quick correspondence between the members of the family had them deciding to visit Bill instead - because, as Charlie had pointed out, turning the twins loose onto a dragon reserve ranked with the five worst decisions ever made in wizarding history.

"Do you ever wonder what it must have been like?" Harry suddenly asked as their group rounded a pyramid's corner, startling his assorted siblings. "This place was thriving long before the days of the Statute of Secrecy, so they had both muggles and wizards work to build the pyramids and temples and palaces, right?"

"Weird, but yeah, I guess so," Ron murmured.

"Granted, population wise, it would've been a much more even ratio of magicals to muggles," Percy pointed out. "And therefore easier for the wizards and witches to stay in control of the masses, especially with them all packed into the habitable river delta areas."

"Isn't ancient history grand?" Charlie butted in, grinning. "So much more interesting than anything Binns drones on about."

The lot of them continued to talk about ancient Egyptians, school, and other historical groups as they headed back to town, where their parents met up with them for a late breakfast. The local food took a bit of getting used to, especially for Ron, but it filled one's belly and that was what was important.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon saw them touring other locales and monuments of note, at least until a couple of reporters caught up to the family. They asked a few questions about winning the contest and how the Weasleys were enjoying using the prize money, before one lifted her camera and asked for a picture. All ten redheads arranged themselves in a vague couple of lines, making sure that the shortest of their number got to stand in front for the photograph.

"Excellent!" The other reporter declared as soon as his companion's flash went off. "Now, last question, how is it you manage to feel safe in such an exposed environment, knowing that the presence of your adopted son may very well invite attack by Dark wizards and the like?"

The Weasleys, as one, blinked. Then, also as one, they got angry, especially when Harry's shoulders hunched defensively. A babble of irritated voices broke out, Mrs. Weasley's rising above the lot of them.

"Anyone foolish enough to attack _my_ children would soon find themselves in a great deal of pain or worse!"

"I think that's enough," her husband said, glaring at the reporter as he steered Harry to the middle of the group. "Thank you for your time, have a nice day." The pair, realizing they'd overstepped a boundary and having no desire to further irritate the family of the Boy-Who-Lived, beat a hasty retreat.

It took a lot of furious pronouncements and reassurances towards Harry that his presence didn't put their family in harm's way for the boy to stop looking so despondent. Eventually, the twins managed to cheer him up again by unleashing some small tricks on Bill and Charlie, prompting some good-natured wrestling that all the siblings wound up joining. After that, the family collectively decided to order in their dinner and spend the evening just relaxing in their hotel suite, retelling funny stories and ignoring ill-feelings stirred up by the inappropriate questions of reporters.

A week later, everyone had to say goodbye to Bill as they returned to either Britain or Romania. They spent the morning busily packing up belongings and re-checking everything before their international portkeys were scheduled to go off, with Fred and George not helping in the slightest as they took turns pretending to have forgotten something or other over and over again. Eventually Charlie offered to stun them for some peace and quiet, to which the twins responded with growing amounts of mock outrage. The two had just gotten to the point of challenging their older brother to a duel when the portkey went off, whisking them all away. Bill and Charlie got to share an amused grin, as the second oldest Weasley brother's portkey had a few more minutes before activating.

In that time, a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ arrived, but it wasn't until Bill was once again alone in his flat that he went to look at it - and nearly fainted.

 _SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPES AZKABAN! BOY-WHO-LIVED AT RISK?_

-TEW-

As they'd been out of the country for the better part of two weeks, Arthur had put a temporary hold on his _Daily Prophet_ subscription. So, neither he, Molly, or any of the children still living at the Burrow heard about Sirius Black being on the loose once again.

At least, not until the evening after their return home, when Headmaster Dumbledore arrived to talk to them about it.

-TEW-

When Molly finally headed upstairs to check on her children before turning in, she wasn't surprised in the least to find Ginny and Ron both seated on Harry's bed, the green-eyed boy tucked between them. All three stared at her silently until Molly plopped down in front of them.

"We're going to get the house wards renewed and expanded," she told the trio, "And have gently but firmly told the Headmaster that under no circumstances will we allow him to whisk Harry off somewhere else to hide for the summer."

The children each let out a sigh of relief.

"Hogwarts will be safe, won't it Mum?" Ron asked first off.

"Safest place in all of Britain, love."

"And you and Dad will be alright when we're all there?" Ginny gave her mother a serious look.

"We'll be just fine - your father will be at work most of the time anyway, and even when he's home with me we'll both wear emergency portkeys tied to Hogwarts."

Harry didn't bother asking anything at all. He simply leaned forward for a hug, which Molly was all too happy to give.

"It's going to be fine, my dears. I promise."

-TEW-

"I can't tell a difference," Harry said, peering at the boundary fence of the Burrow's property.

"Well, that's probably a good thing. No one else will be able to either," Ginny pointed out. "At least, not before they try to get in."

"Right... So, someone with a Dark Mark tries to get in, they get Stunned and we all hear the alarm, yeah?"

"Mm-hm. And anyone else trying to cross the property line if they haven't been invited hit a wall, and we also hear the alarm."

Harry nodded, shuffling a step closer to the spot where some growing bushes had broken down portions of the fence. "Seems like a good defense to me - we've got all the bases covered." He was just about to turn away and join his sister in heading back for the house, when a quiet noise caught his attention.

"What was that?" Ginny looked over right as Harry crouched down beside the bushes. Something was sitting on the far side, he was sure, and it wasn't a person.

"Hello there," the boy murmured, nudging some leaves aside. "Are you lost? Come here now, there's a good dog-"

Neither of the siblings were prepared for what happened next.

"Whoa!" Harry yelped as he fell over backwards, a massive black dog suddenly standing over him. Ginny only had half a moment to panic before the animal unexpectedly began licking her brother - with a great big, slobbery tongue that proceeded to drench the older boy's face, shirt, and hands as he held them up in protest. "Ack! Hey! Quit that, you mangy mutt!" Despite the words of protest, he laughed at the impromptu bath.

Carefully, Ginny inched over, and touched her fingertips to the matted, filthy fur. Instantly, the dog's head swung up and around to look at her. The girl froze, scared again. Then the animal gave her hand a nudge, as though encouraging her to keep petting him. Ginny did so, running both hands down the dog's back and head, smiling as his tail began to wag even harder.

"Alright, so _clearly_ he's friendly." Harry stated, attempting to wriggle out from beneath the beast, which was decidedly easier said than done.

"I don't think he wants you to leave until you're done getting a washing, Harry." His sister giggled, which strengthened into full blown laughter when the dog began to nod his head up and down empathetically.

"Oh, my..." Both kids twisted around to see their mum standing a few feet away, watching them and the dog with wide eyes.

"Mum! Isn't he great!" Harry beamed, not noticing the almost startled expression to flash across the animal's face. "Can we keep him?"

Seeing the expectant looks on her two youngest children's faces, Molly felt her resolve crumble away. This beast was a fair bit different from the rat Percy had claimed as his own years before, but she could tell Harry and Ginny were already just as attached to the dog as their older brother had been to Scabbers.

She sighed. "As long as you don't intend to bring him in the house without a good dousing..."

"YES!"

Half an hour later saw Ron and the twins joining their younger siblings in what should have been an simple bath for the dog, but which swiftly turned into an all-out water war. Percy poked his head out the door at one point, rolled his eyes in exasperation, and then announced that he was popping over to Diagon Alley to get some treats along with a collar and lead. A resounding chorus of "Thanks, Perce!" followed him back inside, causing the seventeen year old to smile. He told his mum where he was going, and she gave him a hug and a grateful smile before shooing him towards the fireplace.

"You'll be back in an hour or two, right?"

"Yes, Mum!"

Nodding, Molly spared a glance out the kitchen window to watch the rest of her brood as they whooped and hollered, running about with dripping sponges and buckets of water, the dog racing between them all and barking happily as everyone became soaked through. As far as summer activities went, it was clearly a well-received one.

Briefly, the Weasley matriarch wondered what Hogwarts' official rules regarding dogs were, before shaking the thought out of her head. That animal had to be far too large to be accepted at the school as a familiar.

Perhaps, though... Perhaps she might ask Professor McGonagall about it, before the fall term began... Especially with Sirius Black on the loose and quite likely searching for Harry...

By the time that Arthur returned for dinner that evening, the dog had been washed and dried, given the name Scruffy (though Fred and George had lobbied hard for 'Marauder' thanks to the animal's obvious sense of humor), and allowed inside to sit patiently by the kitchen door. Molly was insistent that he not be fed from the table, and so Scruffy had to remain far out of reach of sneaky hands. Everyone was hard pressed, however, to keep from laughing when she slipped the dog some leftovers while washing the dishes.

After dinner, Arthur decided to give his children a bit of warning. "I know you all want to keep Scruffy, but considering how friendly and well trained he is, I just want it known that he might have other owners who come looking for him."

"Merlin, I hope not." Harry frowned. "Haven't you seen how skinny he is, Dad? Barely more than skin and bone!" The dog in question promptly picked himself up from where he'd been laying on the floor by the sofa, and nudged his nose beneath Harry's clenched hand. Smiling, he went ahead and started petting the animal.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he ran off from his last home 'cause they were mistreating him or something." Ron put in. The others nodded their agreement, and Arthur sighed.

"Alright, fair enough. But if that's the case, and someone turns up looking, _don't_ punch them, got that?"

"Got it, Dad!"

Someone did get punched that night, but it certainly wasn't a person looking for their lost dog.

Harry and Ron were leading Scruffy up to their room for bed, when his hackles suddenly went up. Before either boy could stop him, the dog was bounding through the open door, growling in a ferocious manner. Neither could understand it - until they heard terrified, high-pitched squeaking.

"Scabbers!" Ron bellowed, racing into the bedroom himself to try and save the rat, only for him to come streaking out between the boy's feet. Scruffy followed not a moment later, knocking Ron down in the process. Harry stayed close behind the animals, desperately hoping for an opening to snatch Scabbers and keep him out of harm's way - somehow, he figured Scruffy wouldn't go after the rat if he was being held by human hands.

People shouted as both animals came racing down the stairs and into the living room, sending everything into mass chaos. Percy had to dive over the back of the sofa to avoid being clobbered by incoming dog, while the twins accidentally smashed their skulls together trying to grab Scabbers at the same moment. Scruffy leapt right over their prone forms, ignoring everything in his effort to catch the rat.

Finally, the dog managed to get his jaws around the fat little body, but instead of chomping down as everyone expected he merely stopped and sat, looking at them expectantly.

"...I guess he's trained to be a rat catcher, or something?" Harry withered under the glares his adopted family members were sending his way. "I'm sorry. C'mon, Scruffy, let Scabbers go-" The dog wouldn't budge. He didn't do anything while Harry tried to tug his jaws apart, but growled the instant his prey began to wriggle. Scabbers froze, letting out one lone, pitiful squeak.

And then he started to change.


End file.
